Horizon League Reveals 2025 #HLVB All-League Awards

November 20

Rachel White

INDIANAPOLIS (November 20, 2025) – The Horizon League unveiled our 2025 #HLVB awards on Thursday. Awards were voted on by the League’s head coaches.

Youngstown State’s Abbie Householder was named the Player and Offensive Player of the Year. IU Indy’s Grace Purichia earned Setter of the Year and RMU’s Jasmine Purakal is the Defensive Player of the Year. Northern Kentucky’s Abby Pickard collected Freshman of the Year while NKU head coach Liz Hart was selected as Coach of the Year.

Dig Deeper:

Householder led the League with 4.58 kills per set in #HLVB play, hitting .297 with 3.12 digs and 0.35 aces per set.
- The senior outside hitter is the second Penguin to win Player and Offensive Player of the Year honors after Paula Gursching in 2022.
Purakal paced #HLVB with 5.90 digs per set in League play and is the first Colonial to earn Defensive Player of the Year.
Purichia ranked first in the League with 11.57 assists per set in #HLVB play and ranks third nationally with 11.02 assist per set in all matches.
- Purichia is the first Jaguar to win Setter of the Year.
Liz Hart picked up her second #HLVB Coach of the Year award after leading the Norse to the regular season title with a 17-1 League record.
Pickard posted 11.21 assists and 2.65 digs per set in League play during her first season at NKU and is the first Freshman of the Year for the Norse since Haley Libs in 2015.
The Sportsmanship Award recognizes student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through demonstrated acts of sportsmanship and ethical behavior. Sportsmanship is defined as behavior exhibited during competition by student-athletes based on values, respect and integrity.
Green Bay senior Kendall Schara was unable to compete this season due to her ongoing journey as a leukemia survivor but remained an influential and valued member of the Phoenix program.
- Head coach Abbey Sutherland added, “Kendall’s presence shaped our culture. Even with limited time physically spent with the team, her commitment to staying connected, her genuine care for her teammates, and her ability to keep the game in perspective made a lasting impact. She showed that sportsmanship is not only expressed in competition but in how we treat one another, how we carry ourselves, and how we respond to adversity. Kendall’s courage and character elevate so many people around her…Her strength, resilience, and perspective reminded our team daily that the opportunity to be part of collegiate athletics is meaningful and never guaranteed.”
NKU paced the League with three All-League First Team selections while IU Indianapolis, Wright State and Youngstown State added two selections each.
In the opening match of the 2025 #HLVB championship, No. 3 seed Youngstown State will take on No. 6 seed Green Bay at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 21.
No. 4 seed IU Indianapolis will battle No. 5 seed Milwaukee in Friday’s second quarterfinal, scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.
NKU will play its semifinal match against the worst-remaining seed after the quarterfinal matches at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 22.
Wright State will take on the best-remaining seed from the quarterfinals in the second semifinal match on Saturday.
Every match of the 2025 Horizon League Volleyball Championship will be streamed live on ESPN+.
For complete championship information, visit #HLVB Championship Central.

2025 Horizon League Volleyball Award Winners

Player and Offensive Player of the Year: Abbie Householder, Youngstown State

Defensive Player of the Year: Jasmine Purakal, RMU

Setter of the Year: Grace Purichia, IU Indianapolis

Freshman of the Year: Abby Pickard, Northern Kentucky

Sportsmanship Award: Kendall Schara, Green Bay

Coach of the Year: Liz Hart, Northern Kentucky

All-League First Team
Diane Pichelman, Green Bay
Morgan Ostrowski, IU Indianapolis
Grace Purichia, IU Indianapolis
Kara Erdmann, Milwaukee
Sydney Bray, Northern Kentucky
Abby Pickard, Northern Kentucky
Allison Risley, Northern Kentucky
Jasmine Purakal, RMU
Lauren Yacobucci, Wright State
Reilly Zegunis, Wright State
Abbie Householder, Youngstown State
Gabriela Machin, Youngstown State

All-League Second Team
Jillian Tippmann, IU Indianapolis
Josie Noble, Milwaukee
Riley Rosneck, Purdue Fort Wayne
Jocelyn Jourdan, RMU
Mya Ayro, Wright State
Katie Sowko, Wright State

All-Freshman Team
Gillian Koning, Green Bay
Laura Roeder, IU Indianapolis
Jillian Tippmann, IU Indianapolis
Josie Noble, Milwaukee
Abby Pickard, Northern Kentucky
Kameron Blizniak, Youngstown State
Layne Graffice, Youngstown State

Sportsmanship Award Finalists
Kendall Schara, Green Bay*
Jordyn Pax, IU Indianapolis
Julia Kellner, Milwaukee
Kendall Hopewell, Northern Kentucky
Delaney Stern, Oakland
Becky Barrett, Purdue Fort Wayne
Kaitlyn Brown, RMU
Elena Dubuc, Wright State
Maria Insana, Youngstown State