Women's Volleyball

2017 Volleyball All-Conference Team

Contact: Lou Groce, Director of Media and Information, 920-229-8157

GRINNELL, Iowa – The Midwest Conference (MWC) has announced the 2017 Volleyball All-Conference Team on Friday night.  Cornell College’s Jillian Schulte was named the league’s Player of the Year and the Rams’ head coach Jeff Meeker was honored as the Coach of the Year for the sixth consecutive season. 

For the sixth consecutive season, Meeker led the Rams to the MWC regular season championship and was named the top coach in the conference.  Cornell dropped just three sets in nine conference matches.  The Rams lead the conference in hitting percentage (.245), assists per set (12.16) and kills per set (13.38). 

Schulte was named the league’s Offensive Performer of the Week twice this fall and currently ranks 13th in Division III in assists per set (10.59).  The junior setter also ranks fifth in the conference in service aces (0.39).  Schulte is the fifth Ram in the last six years to win the league’s top honor. She also earned the league’s Elite 20 Award, which is given to the student-athlete competing in the MWC Tournament with the highest grade-point average.  Schulte is a math major.    

Grinnell College’s Kaylin Kuhn earned the league’s Newcomer of the Year award and was named to the All-MWC Second Team.  Kuhn led the Pioneers and ranks sixth in the conference in kills/set (3.27) and third in the league in service aces (0.43).  She is also second on the squad with 266 digs. 

Schulte is joined on the First Team by teammates Nicole Ciari and Libby Schnoor.  Schnoor was a Second Team All-MWC pick last season and ranked third in the MWC in kills per set this fall (3.44).  Ciari is making her first appearance on the all-conference list after ranking fourth in the league in blocks/set (0.78).  The Rams’ Diamond Boyd earned her fourth All-MWC honor as she was named to the Second Team and was joined by freshman Sydney Meeker. 

St. Norbert College had three women earn all-conference honors.  Last season’s Newcomer of the Year, Lexie Van Hiel earned First Team honors after totaling 0.81 blocks per set and producing 224 kills on .306 hitting percentage.  Halie Ferry earned All-MWC honors for the third straight season and her second First Team selection.  Ferry led the Green Knights with 325 kills and ranked second in the conference in kills/set (3.49).  Sophomore setter Emily Rohloff also earned Second Team honors. 

Ripon College’s Kat Kulas, Illinois College’s Ali Pankey and Lawrence University’s Arianna Neumeyer complete the First Team.  Kulas had a solid season at the net with 176 kills and 69 blocks.  Pankey was the conference leader in kills/set (3.62) and was joined on the All-MWC squad by teammate Liz Ganley.  Ganley earned Second Team honors.  Neumeyer earned her third straight All-MWC selection and second straight pick on the top team.  Neumeyer led the Vikings with 319 kills and had 34 service aces on the season.  Her senior teammate Cyra Bammer was also a Second Team pick. Lawrence also earned the league's sportsmanship award for the second straight season.  

Lake Forest College’s Grace Larson was named to the Second Team for the third straight season.  Knox College’s Rose Griffin was also a Second Team selection for third time in her career. 

 
Coach of the Year
Jeff Meeker Cornell
Player of the Year
Jillian Schulte Jr. S Cornell
Newcomer of the Year
Kaylin Kuhn Fr. OH Grinnell
Sportsmanship Award
Lawrence 
Elite 20 Award Winner
Jillian Schulte Jr. S Cornell
First Team
Nicole Ciari Jr. MB Cornell
Halie Ferry Jr OH/RS St. Norbert
Kat Kulas Sr. MB Ripon
Arianna Neumeyer Jr. OH/DS/S Lawrence
Ali Pankey So. OH Illinois College
Libby Schnoor Sr. RS/OH Cornell
Jillian Schulte Jr. S Cornell
Lexie Van Hiel So. MB St. Norbert
Second Team
Cyra Bammer Sr. DS/L Lawrence
Diamond Boyd Sr. OH Cornell
Liz Ganley So. S Illinois College
Rose Griffin Sr. RH Knox
Kaylin Kuhn Fr. OH Grinnell
Grace Larson Jr. OH Lake Forest
Sydney Meeker Fr. DS Cornell
Emily Rohloff So. S St. Norbert