INDIANAPOLIS – The Great Midwest Athletic Conference presented its 2013 Women’s Volleyball honors and awards on Thursday, throughout the day during the quarterfinal round of the G-MAC Volleyball Championships. During each of the four matches on Thursday, the All-Conference selections were revealed with special individual awards being presented prior to the games.
 
The coaches selected the seven-member All-Conference First team and eight-member Second teams leading up to this weekend’s Volleyball Championships in Owensboro, Kentucky, on the campus of Kentucky Wesleyan College. In addition to the All-Conference teams, the coaches named a Freshman of the Year, Coach of the Year, and a Player of the Year.
 
The Tournament semifinals will take place on Friday, November 22 at 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. (central), with the top advancing teams facing off in the championship match on Saturday, November 23 at 1:00 p.m. (central).
 
Great Midwest Athletic Conference: Volleyball Coach of the Year
CRAIG BROWN - Kentucky Wesleyan College
 
Coach of the Year honors go to the coach of the top seeded Panthers, Craig Brown, who led his team to the 2013 G-MAC regular season title, the top overall seed, and the host of the 2013 G-MAC Volleyball Championships in Owensboro, Kentucky.
 
KWC, who went 11-23 overall last season and just 3-14 in their final year with the GLVC, improved dramatically in 2013, finishing the regular-season 24-6 overall and 12-2 in the G-MAC. Against old GLVC opponents, they managed a 2-2 record. This continues an upswing in victories since Brown arrived.
 
Prior to his arrival the team went 2-31 and 0-14 in conference. In his first two season’s they won seven matches each year, then improved to 11 and not have posted 24 wins and are the top seed in the G-MAC.
 
Great Midwest Athletic Conference: Player of the Year
HANNAH WAGNER - Outside Hitter
Junior - Cedarville University

Hannah Wagner, a three-time G-MAC Volleyball Athlete of the Week winner in 2013, was voted almost unanimously (six of eight votes) the 2013 G-MAC Volleyball Player of the Year. She hit an impressive .303 on the season, recording 350 kills on the season - which ranked fourth overall in the conference and also fourth in kills per set (2.73).
 
Wagner also ranked in a tie with teammate Stephanie Rogers for eighth in the conference in blocks with 0.69 per set. Overall she totaled 88 (79 block assists and nine solo blocks). Her teammate Rogers also had 79 assists, but had one less solo block in two less sets than Wagner.
 
Great Midwest Athletic Conference: Women’s Freshman of the Year
KATELYN ATKINSON - Middle Blocker
Freshman - Trevecca Nazarene University
 
Katelyn Atkinson was named the 2013 G-MAC Freshman of the Year, not surprisingly as the newcomer led the conference with 3.15 kills per set in her very first collegiate season. She ranked third overall in kills with 353, but played in just 112 sets.
 
She also ranked tied for sixth in service aces with 0.38 per set. Her 42 service aces ranked lower because of only playing in 112 sets, the lowest amount of games in the top nine in service aces category. Atkinson was also active defensively, ranking ninth with 2.83 digs per game and 317 digs overall.
 


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The Great Midwest Athletic Conference also announced the All-Conference First and Second teams, plus honorable mentions during the quarterfinals of the Volleyball Championships. Below is a list of the All-Conference teams. All conference awards and honors were nominated and voted upon by the G-MAC coaches. 
 
Great Midwest Athletic Conference: All-Conference First Team
SUMMER ALFORD             Kentucky Wesleyan College        Outside Hitter        Freshman
KATELYN ATKINSON       Trevecca Nazarene University     Outside Hitter        Freshman
AMANDA BELL                  Cedarville University                   Outside Hitter        Junior
JORDAN RICKERT            Kentucky Wesleyan College        Setter                     Senior
SHELBY SORCE                 Trevecca Nazarene University     Libero                    Senior
HANNAH WAGNER           Cedarville University                   Outside Hitter        Junior
DALLAS ZIMMERMAN     Kentucky Wesleyan College        Middle Hitter         Sophomore
 
Great Midwest Athletic Conference: All-Conference Second Team
MADDIE ANDERSON         Cedarville University                   Setter                     Junior
JILLIAN BROWN               Alderson Broaddus University     Libero                    Senior
MOLLY HILFINGER          Ursuline College                           Setter                     Junior
ALEX LEISTER                   Ursuline College                           Outside Hitter        Senior
ASHLEY MacDONALD      Alderson Broaddus University     Outside Hitter        Senior
VICTORIA MORGAN        Alderson Broaddus University     Middle Hitter         Junior
STEPHANIE ROGERS        Cedarville University                   Middle Hitter         Senior
IMANI WARD                      Ohio Valley University                Middle Hitter         Freshman
 
Honorable Mentions: Brein Babbs (CSU); Casey Bannon (D&E); Angela Becker (CED); Chelsea Brothers (KWC); Megan Christmann (AB); Delaney Hearne (TNU); Alyx Henry (OVU); Hannah Hudnal (KWC); Bridget Johnson (KWC); Jayla McCrary (AB); Megan Morrison (OVU); Kayla Peterson (AB); Kelsey Richards (D&E); Abby Shelton (CED); Kelly Stenger (URS); Tori Thompson (CED); Callie Updike (D&E); Amanda Weatherwax (OVU); Makayla Windau (URS)