TOPEKA, Kan. — The 2018 Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association all-Central region volleyball team was announced on Wednesday. The teams were voted on by the region’s sports information directors. Nine of the 14 student-athletes selected for the two teams will be in action this weekend at the NCAA Central Regional hosted by Nebraska-Kearney starting on Thursday where seven of the eight teams are ranked in the top 11 of this week’s AVCA National Top 25 poll.
Southwest Minnesota State’s Taylor Reiss was named the Central Region’s Player of the Year for the third-straight season as well as first team all-region as an outside hitter for the third season in a row. Reiss, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference’s three-time Player of the Year, leads the NSIC in kills with 5.80 per game with 644 total kills. Reiss also leads the nation in attacks per set (14.52), kills per set (5.80), and total kills (644).
Joining Reiss on the first team was senior outside hitter and the MIAA Player of the Year Maddy Bruder from Northwest Missouri State and repeat first team selection from last season senior Taylor Bevis from Central Oklahoma. At middle hitter/block is repeat pick from last season senior Zoe Hardin from Harding and junior Sara Macek from Concordia-St. Paul. The libero/defensive specialist is senior Ellie McDonnell from Nebraska-Kearney and senior Elizabeth Mohr from Concordia-St. Paul was tabbed as the setter.
On the second team at outside hitter was senior Courtney Place from Augustana, junior Morgan Olson from Minnesota State and repeat second-team pick from last season, senior Brooklyn Lewis from Concordia-St. Paul. A pair of sophomores from the MIAA were selected second team at middle hitter/blocker in Allison Maxwell from Washburn and Audrey Fisher from Central Missouri. Southwestern Oklahoma State’s junior Kaitlyn Dillon was tabbed as second team libero/defensive specialist and junior Emily Torve from Minnesota-Duluth was picked at setter.
Overall the NSIC had seven selections and the region player of the year while the MIAA had five picks and the Great American Conference had two honored. Concordia-St. Paul led all schools with three selections while no other team had more than one.
The Division II Conference Commissioners Association encourages and promotes Division II athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education. The CCA is a key communications link among the conferences as they discuss views, policies and regulations that impact Division II intercollegiate athletics and works closely with the NCAA as a communications channel to NCAA Division II member colleges and universities.
Regional Player of the Year
($) Taylor Reiss, Southwest Minnesota State (5-10 • OH • Taunton, Minn.)
First Team All-Region
OH – (!) Taylor Reiss, Southwest Minnesota State (5-10 • Senior • Taunton, Minn.)
OH – Maddy Bruder, Northwest Missouri (5-11 • Senior • Firth, Neb.)
OH – (@) Taylor Bevis, Central Oklahoma (5-10 • Senior • Wichita, Kan.)
MH/B – (@) Zoe Hardin, Harding (6-3 • Senior • Amarillo, Texas)
MH/B – Sara Macek, Concordia-St. Paul (5-11 • Junior • Monticello, Minn.)
Libero/DS – Ellie McDonnell, Nebraska-Kearney (5-5 • Senior • Papillion, Neb.)
Setter – Elizabeth Mohr, Concordia-St. Paul (5-7 • Senior • Eden Prairie, Minn.)
Second Team All-Region
OH – Courtney Place, Augustana (6-2 • Senior • Okabena, Minn.)
OH – Morgan Olson, Minnesota State (5-11 • Junior, Annandale, Minn.)
OH – (#) Brooklyn Lewis, Concordia-St. Paul (5-10 • Senior • Kasson, Minn.)
MH/B – Allison Maxwell, Washburn (6-1 • Sophomore • Jefferson City, Mo.)
MH/B – Audrey Fisher, Central Missouri (6-0 • Sophomore • Lenexa, Kan.)
Libero/DS – Kaitlyn Dillon, Southwestern Oklahoma State (5-6 • Junior • Edmond, Okla.)
Setter – Emily Torve, Minnesota-Duluth (5-8 • Junior • Loretto, Minn.)
($) – Region Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017
(!) – First Team selection in 2016 and 2017
(@) – First Team selection in 2017
(#) – Second Team selection in 2017
— Northwest Athletics —