Four Huskers Named to All-America Teams

Kadie Rolfzen and Justine Wong-Orantes were named to the AVCA All-America First Team, while Kelly Hunter was selected to the second team and Amber Rolfzen to the third team on Wednesday. Mikaela Foecke and Briana Holman received honorable mention from the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Nebraska's four All-America selections are its most since 2007, and it marks the first time since 2006 that the Huskers have had two first-team All-Americans. 

Rolfzen, a senior outside hitter from Papillion, joins Sarah Pavan as the only four-time AVCA All-Americans in program history and is one of just 28 players in NCAA history to earn four honors. Rolfzen, who was named a CoSIDA Academic All-American last week, leads the Huskers with 3.19 kills per set and adds 2.53 digs per set. An NCAA Senior CLASS Award finalist, Rolfzen ranks sixth in school history with 1,558 career kills and is seventh in career digs with 1,241. She and Jordan Larson are the only Huskers all-time to rank in the top seven in career kills and digs. Rolfzen is a repeat first-team All-American after earning the honor last year. She was a third-team All-American as a freshman and sophomore. She also became the third Husker in program history to earn four first-team all-conference honors at Nebraska when she earned her fourth All-Big Ten honor. The others were Sarah Pavan (2004-07) and Greichaly Cepero (1999-2002), both in the Big 12 Conference.

Wong-Orantes picks up her second consecutive AVCA All-America honor but first selection to the first team. She was the only libero named to an All-America team. The senior libero out of Cypress, California was a two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and was an All-Big Ten selection this season. Wong-Orantes is averaging 4.24 digs per set to lead the back row, which has helped the Huskers outdig their opponents in 27 of 33 matches this season. Wong-Orantes broke Kayla Banwarth’s Nebraska career digs record this season - she currently has 1,879 - and also set a new single-match school record with 35 digs against Minnesota on October 23, surpassing the previous record of 34 by Maria Hedbeck in 1993. She also broke Banwarth’s career postseason digs record with 24 digs against TCU in the second round, and her 24 digs tied the Nebraska school record for digs in a three-set postseason match, also held by Banwarth.

Hunter, the Huskers' setter and captain, earns her first career AVCA All-America Second Team selection after receiving honorable mention last year. The junior from Papillion, Nebraska coordinates the Husker attack with 11.21 assists per set and has chipped in 26 aces and a team-high 10 double-doubles, which helped her earn All-Big Ten honors to become the first Husker setter since Lauren Cook in 2012 to make the all-conference team. Hunter was the Big Ten Setter of the Week four times this season and set a career high with 61 assists at Penn State on November 4. 

Amber Rolfzen, a senior middle blocker from Papillion, garners her second career AVCA All-America honor with her third-team selection. Rolfzen was also an All-Big Ten selection for the second time this season with 1.96 kills per set and a team-high 1.40 blocks per set. Rolfzen ranks second in the Big Ten and 18th nationally in blocks per set. In just two seasons as a middle blocker, Rolfzen ranks fifth on NU’s career block assists chart with 499 and ranks sixth in school history in career blocks with 550. She was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week twice this season and five times in her career.

Foecke, an outside hitter from West Point, Iowa, received honorable mention for the second straight season. The most outstanding player of the 2015 NCAA Championship, Foecke is averaging 2.89 kills per set and is hitting .303 as a sophomore. She played a pivotal role in big matches this season, just like she did as a freshman. Foecke posted 20 kills against No. 3 Minnesota on October 23, 19 kills at No. 11 Penn State on November 4 and 18 kills against No. 18 Michigan in the Big Ten title-clinching win.

Holman also received honorable mention in her first season playing for the Huskers. The junior middle blocker from DeSoto, Texas puts up 2.40 kills per set and 1.19 blocks per set with a team-best .354 hitting percentage. A first-team All-American in 2014 at LSU, Holman had an immediate impact for the Huskers this season, earning espnW National Player of the Week on opening weekend after 2.57 kills and 1.43 blocks per set while hitting .571 in wins over No. 10 Florida and No. 2 Texas. She is coming off a season-best 17 kills in the regional semifinal win over Penn State last weekend.

The Huskers face Texas in an NCAA Semifinal match on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. (CT) on ESPN.