Five Huskers Earn Big Ten Postseason Honors

The Nebraska volleyball team placed three student-athletes on the All-Big Ten First Team and two on the All-Big Ten Freshman Team, the conference announced on Wednesday.

Mikaela Foecke, Kenzie Maloney and Lauren Stivrins were all selected by the Big Ten coaches and media to the 18-player All-Big Ten First Team. Nicklin Hames and Callie Schwarzenbach were named to the seven-player All-Freshman Team.

Foecke, a repeat honoree, was one of 10 unanimous selections. The senior outside hitter from West Point, Iowa leads the Huskers with 3.72 kills per set and adds 2.66 digs per set with a team-high 38 service aces this season. Her current kills per set average is Nebraska’s best since 2013 (Kelsey Robinson, 4.45). The two-time NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player was named Big Ten Player of the Week four times this season, and she has climbed to No. 6 on Nebraska's career kills list and is No. 9 in career aces. Foecke was an AVCA Second-Team All-American last year and is one of 10 NCAA Senior CLASS Award finalists this year. 

Maloney, a senior libero, earned her first career Big Ten postseason honor. The Husker co-captain is averaging a team-best 4.07 digs per set and played an instrumental role in leading the Huskers to a nation-leading .130 opponent hitting percentage this season. The Louisville, Kentucky native ranks sixth in NU career history with 1,322 digs. Maloney posted a career-high 25 digs twice this season, and she was named the most valuable player of the Husker Invite and the best libero at the Ameritas Players Challenge. Maloney's 34 service aces are the third-most on the team this year.

Stivrins, a sophomore middle blocker, also earned her first career Big Ten honor. Stivrins was a two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week and was also the Big Ten Player of the Week once this season. Stivrins is averaging 2.23 kills per set on a team-best .401 hitting percentage, which ranks third in the Big Ten. It is NU's highest individual hitting percentage since 2010 (Brooke Delano, .406). Stivrins added serving to her repertoire this season and has 24 aces. 

Hames, a 5-10 setter from Maryville, Tennessee, made the All-Big Ten Freshman Team after averaging 10.28 assists and 3.31 digs per set this season. She also ranks second on the team in aces with 36. Hames has a team-high 21 double-doubles, the second-most by a Husker in the rally-scoring era, trailing only Jordan Larson’s 22 double-doubles in 2006. Hames was a two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week this season.

Schwarzenbach, a 6-5 middle blocker from Kearney, Missouri, joined her classmate Hames on the All-Freshman Team after finishing second in the conference in blocks with 1.43 per set. Schwarzenbach has 159 blocks this season and with two more will break the Nebraska freshman record of 160, set by Tracy Stalls in 2004. 

Finally, Nebraska senior setter Brooke Smith received a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for the second time in her career. 

2018 All-Big Ten Volleyball
First Team
Ali Bastianelli, Sr., Illinois*

Jordyn Poulter, Sr., Illinois*

Jacqueline Quade, Jr., Illinois*

Erika Pritchard, So., Maryland

Carly Skjodt, Sr., Michigan*

Regan Pittman, So., Minnesota

Stephanie Samedy, So., Minnesota*

Samantha Seliger-Swenson, Sr., Minnesota*

Mikaela Foecke, Sr., Nebraska*

Kenzie Maloney, Sr., Nebraska

Lauren Stivrins, So., Nebraska

Jonni Parker, Fr., Penn State

Kendall White, Sr., Penn State*

Sherridan Atkinson, Sr., Purdue*

Blake Mohler, Jr., Purdue

Madison Duello, Jr., Wisconsin

Sydney Hilley, So., Wisconsin

Dana Rettke, So., Wisconsin*
 

Second Team
Ashlyn Fleming, Jr., Illinois

Deyshia Lofton, Jr., Indiana

Taylor Louis, Sr., Iowa

Jenna Lerg, Sr., Michigan

Alexis Hart, Jr., Minnesota

Taylor Morgan, Jr., Minnesota

Adanna Rollins, Fr., Minnesota

Kaitlyn Hord, Fr., Penn State

Bryanna Weiskircher, Sr., Penn State
 

All-Freshman Team
Paige Jones, Michigan

CC McGraw, Minnesota

Adanna Rollins, Minnesota

Nicklin Hames, Nebraska

Callie Schwarzenbach, Nebraska

Kaitlyn Hord, Penn State

Jonni Parker, Penn State
 

Player of the Year: Samantha Seliger-Swenson, Sr., Minnesota

Defensive Player of the Year: Kendall White, Sr., Penn State

Co-Setter of the Year: Jordyn Poulter, Sr., Illinois

Co-Setter of the Year: Samantha Seliger-Swenson, Sr., Minnesota

Freshman of the Year: Jonni Parker, Penn State

Coach of the Year (Coaches and Media): Hugh McCutcheon, Minnesota

 

Sportsmanship Honorees

Beth Prince, Jr., Illinois

Kamryn Malloy, So., Indiana

Molly Kelly, Sr., Iowa

Abigail Bentz, Sr., Maryland

Maddy Abbott, Sr., Michigan

Sam McLean, Jr., Michigan State

Lauren Barnes, So., Minnesota

Brooke Smith, Sr., Nebraska

Allie Lindroth, Jr., Northwestern

Camry Halm, Jr., Ohio State

Kristin Krause, So., Penn State

Erin Williams, Sr., Purdue

Beka Kojadinovic, So., Rutgers

Tionna Williams, Sr., Wisconsin

 

*denotes UNANIMOUS SELECTION