Horizon League Announces Spring 2021 #HLVB Awards
INDIANAPOLIS – The Horizon League announced its Spring 2021 #HLVB All-League awards on Friday. Purdue Fort Wayne’s Katie Crowe has been named the Horizon League Volleyball Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year. Wright State’s Jenna Story has been chosen Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season while teammate Lainey Stephenson earned Setter of the Year honors. UIC’s Becca Oldendorf was voted Freshman of the Year while UIC’s Justin Ingram and WSU’s Allie Matters shared Coach of the Year honors. The League’s 11 head coaches selected the All-League teams and specialty award winners.
Player and Offensive Player of the Year Crowe led the League with 4.14 kills per set this season, while hitting .244 as an outside hitter and adding 3.18 digs per set in the Mastodons’ inaugural season in the League.
Story is the first repeat Defensive Player of the Year since Valparaiso’s Taylor Root earned her third straight award in 2012. The junior libero led #HLVB with 6.49 digs per League contest.
Stephenson won Setter of the Year honors for Wright State. The junior averaged 9.35 assists per set and WSU ranked third in the League with a team hitting percentage of .222 in League play.
Oldendorf was a key part of a UIC offense that led the League with a .256 hitting percentage this League season, earning Freshman of the Year and All-League Second Team honors. The middle blocker ranked third in the League with a .325 hitting percentage, while posting 2.59 kills per set for the Flames.
Ingram and Matters are the Spring 2021 Co-Coaches of the Year. Ingram picks up his first Coach of the Year award as he led the Flames to a program-record 13 League wins and the No. 2 seed in the championship. Matters earns a second straight Coach of the Year award following WSU’s second consecutive regular season championship. Wright State posted a 14-0 record in League play this season to secure the championship No. 1 seed.
Joining Crowe, Story and Stephenson on the All-League First Team are student-athletes from seven programs. Two other Raiders join Story and Stephenson on the First Team, Celia Powers (2.75 kills per set) and Teddie Sauer (.258 hitting percentage). Maddy Gates (10.11 assists per set) represents the Mastodons along with Crowe. Northern Kentucky placed two student-athletes on the First Team in Anna Brinkmann (3.27 kills per set) and Miranda Wucherer (5.67 assists, 2.13 kills). Cleveland State’s Hannah Greene (3.23 kills per set), Milwaukee’s Ari Miller (3.29 kills per set, .324 hitting percentage), Green Bay’s Alex Zakutney (3.49 kills per set) and UIC’s Paola Santiago (3.66 kills per set) also earned All-League First Team recognition.
In addition to Oldendorf, five student-athletes also earned All-League Second Team honors, including two Golden Grizzlies. Jamie Walling and Lindsay Wightman represent Oakland, while Milwaukee’s Jess Grabowski, NKU’s Ashton Terrill, and Purdue Fort Wayne’s Sydney Boerst round out the Second Team.
Oldendorf highlights the All-Freshman Team, with four total schools represented. Martina Delucchi and
Jaclyn Oblena also represent the Flames while CSU’s Abby Miller, GB’s Calli Gentry, OAK’s Patti Cesarini and PFW’s Ramei Jackson complete the All-Freshman Team.
On Sunday, March 28, one semifinal will see No. 1 seed Wright State host No. 4 seed Purdue Fort Wayne at 1 p.m. ET while No. 2 seed UIC will host No. 3 seed Northern Kentucky at 2 p.m. ET. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+.
The two semifinal winners will face off for the championship on Saturday, April 3 at the site of the highest remaining seed. The championship match will take place at 1 p.m. local time on ESPN+.
Visit
championship central and follow the @HorizonLeague on social media for additional championship coverage.
Spring 2021 #HLVB Award Winners
Player of the Year: Katie Crowe, Purdue Fort Wayne
Offensive Player of the Year: Katie Crowe, Purdue Fort Wayne
Defensive Player of the Year: Jenna Story, Wright State
Setter of the Year: Lainey Stephenson, Wright State
Freshman of the Year: Becca Oldendorf, UIC
Co-Coaches of the Year: Justin Ingram, UIC and Allie Matters, Wright State
All-League First Team (alphabetical by school)
Hannah Greene, Cleveland State
Alex Zakutney, Green Bay
Ari Miller, Milwaukee
Anna Brinkmann, Northern Kentucky
Miranda Wucherer, Northern Kentucky
Katie Crowe, Purdue Fort Wayne
Maddy Gates, Purdue Fort Wayne
Paola Santiago, UIC
Celia Powers, Wright State
Teddie Sauer, Wright State
Lainey Stephenson, Wright State
Jenna Story, Wright State
All-League Second Team (alphabetical by school)
Jess Grabowski, Milwaukee
Ashton Terrill, Northern Kentucky
Jamie Walling, Oakland
Lindsay Wightman, Oakland
Sydney Boerst, Purdue Fort Wayne
Becca Oldendorf, UIC
All-Freshman Team (alphabetical by school)
Abby Miller, Cleveland State
Calli Gentry, Green Bay
Patti Cesarini, Oakland
Ramei Jackson, Purdue Fort Wayne
Martina Delucchi, UIC
Jaclyn Oblena, UIC
Becca Oldendorf, UIC