2015 AVCA final poll released

National champion Cal Lutheran is the unanimous top team in the final AVCA poll of the season.

The Regals are followed by runner-up Wittenberg, semifinalist Carthage, Washington-St. Louis and Juniata in the top five.

Other Central and Midwest teams in the final top 25: No. 11 Bethel; No. 16 UW-Stevens Point; No. 17 UW-Whitewater; No. 21 Elmhurst; No. 22 Illinois Wesleyan; No. 24 Northwestern.

Central and Midwest teams receiving votes in the final poll: UW-Oshkosh; UW-Eau Claire; Gustavus Adolphus; Chicago; Wartburg; Greenville.

My final top 10 of the 2015 season

-Ricky Nelson

NCAA Stats: Final 2015 leaders

The following are Central and Midwest players and teams in the top 10 nationally, according to the final stats release of the season. The national leader is listed regardless of region. Players and teams not from the Central or Midwest regions are listed in italics.

Stats are through Nov. 21.

Aces/Set
1. Rachel Eng, John Jay 1.02
1. Farmingdale State 3.89

Aces
1. Rachel Eng, John Jay 88
5. Hannah Marshall, Westminster (Mo.) 82
1. SUNY Maritime 342

Assists/Set
1. Kayla Jordan, Texas Dallas 11.93
2. Allison Zastrow, Washington-St. Louis 11.64
5. Christina Wilson, Dominican 11.09
10. Jaclyn Barrette, UW-La Crosse 10.90
1. Texas Dallas 13.69
2. Washington-St. Louis 13.28

Assists
1. Karen Chin, Carthage 1584
2. Allison Zastrow, Washington-St. Louis 1525
4. Christina Wilson, Dominican 1420
5. Jenna Smits, UW-Eau Claire 1407
6. Brittany Laffin, UW-Stevens Point 1402
9. Emily Mihalkanin, Millikin 1356
1. Carthage 1888
2. Washington-St. Louis 1753
7. Northwestern 1663
9. Dominican 1645

Attacks/Set
1. Larysa Iwaskiw, Ramapo 14.48
4. Maren Loe, Chicago 13.35
5. Shelby Knowles, Wheaton (Ill.) 13.30
6. Julia Zolnosky, Hamline 13.01
8. Marissa Ekness, Minnesota Morris 12.82
10. Erin Syversen, Millikin 12.37
1. Buffalo State 42.81
6. UW-Stevens Point 40.02
9. Lakeland 39.66

Attacks
1. Hannah Shields, Averett 1905
2. Maren Loe, Chicago 1655
4. Erin Syversen, Millikin 1583
6. Marissa Ekness, Minnesota Morris 1474
8. Klaudia Basierak, Dubuque 1426
10. Shelby Knowles, Wheaton (Ill.) 1383
1. Carthage 5497
4. UW-Stevens Point 5323
8. Dominican 5109
9. Wartburg 5104
10. UW-Eau Claire 5103

Blocks/Set
1. Lauren Holt, Springfield 1.68
5. Brittany Avonts, Lake Forest 1.43
6. Tegan LaBerge, Bethel 1.32
8. Nerissa Vogt, UW-Oshkosh 1.31
1. Mary Hardin-Baylor 2.80
4. Bethel 2.46
7. UW-Oshkosh 2.39
8. Cornell 2.38

Blocks
1. Lauren Holt, Springfield 192
3. Nerissa Vogt, UW-Oshkosh 169
4. Stefanie Romanowski, Carthage 165
6. Tegan LaBerge, Bethel 164
10. Jackie Nelligan, Washington-St. Louis 148
1. Austin 349
2. Carthage 333.5
4. UW-Oshkosh 322
5. Northwestern 312.5
9. Bethel 305.5

Digs/Set
1. Jessie Koster, Dallas 6.69
2. Caleigh Galvan, Lakeland 6.69
3. Camille Benson, Carleton 6.69
5. Shaneé Herd, St. Catherine 6.19
1. John Carroll 22.08
9. Illinois College 19.94

Digs
1. Rachel Fusselman, Austin 820
5. Caleigh Galvan, Lakeland 749
8. Olivia Sulentic, Simpson 706
1. Franklin 2596
2. Wartburg 2572
4. UW-Stevens Point 2558
8. Dominican 2487
10. Carthage 2469

Hitting Percentage
1. Jessica Holler, Emory .421
2. Caroline Dupont, Washington-St. Louis .413
9. Lexi Collier, Westminster (Mo.) .382
1. Springfield .295
5. Washington-St. Louis .268

Kills/Set
1. Larysa Iwaskiw, Ramapo 5.88
5. Erin Syversen, Millikin 4.80
8. Maren Loe, Chicago 4.52
1. Washington-St. Louis 14.41
9. Millikin 13.54

Kills
1. Hannah Shields, Averett 712
2. Erin Syversen, Millikin 615
5. Maren Loe, Chicago 560
8. Klaudia Basierak, Dubuque 510
9. Emily Heuermann, Carthage 506
1. Carthage 2053
2. Washington-St. Louis 1902
7. Northwestern 1778
9. Coe 1763
10. Dominican 1754

Points/Set
1. Larysa Iwaskiw, Ramapo 6.54
5. Erin Syversen, Millikin 5.36
9. Maren Loe, Chicago 5.04
10. Lucy Stevens, Carleton 5.02

Opponent Hitting Percentage
1. Saint Joseph’s (Maine) .041

Winning Percentage
1. Brockport .944
2. Washington-St. Louis .919
8. Gustavus Adolphus .900

Central/Midwest Players On Division III Active Career Leaders List (Top 5)
Kills
1. Maren Loe, Chicago 1962
2. Klaudia Basierak, Dubuque 1817
3. Emily Heuermann, Carthage 1800

Assists
2. Karen Chin, Carthage 5262

Blocks/Set
4. Emma Brunkhorst, UW-Stevens Point 1.13
5. Nerissa Vogt, UW-Oshkosh 1.06

Blocks
3. Jackie Nelligan, Washington-St. Louis 466
5. Emma Brunkhorst, UW-Stevens Point 451

Digs/Set
1. Camille Benson, Carleton 6.10
5. Caleigh Galvan, Lakeland 5.59

Digs
1. Mandy Trautmann, UW-Oshkosh 2646
3. Hannah Picel, UW-Stevens Point 2502

Hitting Percentage
1. Jessica Diehl, Spalding .380
5. Caroline Dupont, Washington-St. Louis .357

Attempts/Set
3. Klaudia Basierak, Dubuque 12.00
5. Maren Loe, Chicago 11.38

Attempts
1. Maren Loe, Chicago 6179
2. Klaudia Basierak, Dubuque 5782

Matches Played
1. Bria Hailey, Carthage 159
1. Emily Heuermann, Carthage 159

Sets Played
1. Emily Heuermann, Carthage 577
2. Bria Hailey, Carthage 571
5. Karen Chin, Carthage 543
5. Maren Loe, Chicago 543

-Ricky Nelson

Ricky Nelson’s 2015 final top 10

The AVCA final poll comes out on Tuesday.

My rank, (my Wk 10 rank, AVCA Wk 10 rank), record, final result
1 (NR,9). Cal Lutheran 31-5 National champion.
2 (5,6). Wittenberg 29-3 National runner-up. 
3 (NR,13). Carthage  35-8 National semifinalist.
4 (NR,NR). Hendrix 29-9 National semifinalist.
5 (1,1). Washington-St. Louis 34-3 Cal Lutheran Regional finalist.
6 (2,2). Emory 34-4 Berry Regional finalist.
7 (3,4). Calvin 30-4 Calvin Regional finalist.
8 (4,3). Juniata 33-3 Juniata Regional finalist.
9 (7,14). Texas Dallas 31-3 Cal Lutheran Regional semifinalist.
10 (6,11). UW-Whitewater 31-5 UW-Whitewater Regional quarterfinalist.
Dropped out: No. 8 Christopher Newport 30-3; No. 9 Colorado College 34-4; No. 10 Southwestern 31-5.

-Ricky Nelson

2015 championship wrap

Congratulations to Cal Lutheran on its first NCAA Division III team championship in any sport.

All-Tournament Team: Cal Lutheran’s Allie Eason (Most Outstanding Player), Michelle Lawrence and Nicki Tetherow; Carthage’s Karen Chin and Stephanie Korbakes; Wittenberg’s Camila Quinones and Kara Seidenstricker.

Championship video highlights & full match replays
Championship video press conferences
Championship banquet video
2015 Nationals Guide

-Ricky Nelson

11/21/15: CLU secures first title

National Championship Match
• #9 Cal Lutheran 3, #6 Wittenberg 0 CLU’s Eason: 13 K.

-Ricky Nelson

11/20/15: Cal Lutheran, Wittenberg to play for title

National Semis
• #6 Wittenberg 3, Hendrix 1 WU’s Seidenstricker: 9 K, 23 D.
• #9 Cal Lutheran 3, #13 Carthage 2 CLU’s Smith: 59 AST.

-Ricky Nelson

11/19/15: #6 Tigers, #9 Regals, #13 Lady Reds, Warriors advance

National Quarters
• Hendrix 3, Bethel 2 HC’s Rogers: 20 K, 24 D.
• #6 Wittenberg 3, #18 Clarkson 0 WU’s Kahlig hit 10-1-16 with 4 B.
• #9 Cal Lutheran 3, Bowdoin 1 CLU’s Eason: 19 K, 18 D.
• #13 Carthage 3, Randolph-Macon 0 CC’s Korbakes hit 13-1-27 with 5 B.

-Ricky Nelson

WUSTL’s Zastrow named AVCA Player of the Year

Washington-St. Louis senior setter Allison Zastrow has been named the AVCA National Player of the Year.

Zastrow, who led Washington-St. Louis to a 34-3 record by amassing 1,525 assists and 353 digs, is the eighth Bear to earn the AVCA’s top individual honor and the first since Rebecca Rotello in 2002.

Hendrix’s Ryan Meek was named AVCA National Coach of the Year, while Cal Lutheran’s Kevin Judd was tabbed the AVCA National Assistant Coach of the Year.

This year’s Elite 90 Award winner is Lauren Petrisin from Hendrix.

-Ricky Nelson

2015 AVCA All-America squads revealed

The AVCA announced the 2015 All-America teams this morning. A day earlier than advertised as well.

2015 AVCA All-America First Team
Courtney Birkett, Colorado College senior S/RS
Karen Chin, Carthage senior S
Kaitlyn Foster, Southwestern senior OH
Jessica Holler, Emory junior MB
Lauren Holt, Springfield junior MB
Abbe Holtze, Colorado College junior OH
Maggie Kamp, Calvin senior OH
Maren Loe, Chicago senior OH
Sydney Miles, Emory senior S
Kelly Reynolds, Juniata junior S
Rikki Schlager, Eastern senior S
Kara Seidenstricker, Wittenberg senior RS
Brianna Sutton, Christopher Newport junior OH
Allison Zastrow, Washington-St. Louis senior S

Central/Midwest Region players on the Second Team
Caroline Dupont, Washington-St. Louis junior MB
Hannah Nimrick, Elmhurst junior S
Ashley Peper, Augsburg senior RS
Erin Syversen, Millikin sophomore OH

Central/Midwest Region players on the Third Team
Emily Heuermann, Carthage senior OH
Lauren Pfeifer, Wisconsin-Whitewater junior OH
Alyssa Taylor, Gustavus Adolphus senior MB

Illinois Wesleyan OH Tyler Brown was named AVCA Freshman of the Year.

Fans of digging and receiving/passing may be disappointed as only two liberos were named to the top three teams. The unsung heroes – and highly celebrated heroes in certain cases – went unsung this year.

-Ricky Nelson

Championship poll