2021 Volleyball All-Conference Team (PDF)
INDIANAPOLIS – With the tournament semifinals just one day away, the Great Midwest Athletic Conference All-Conference Volleyball Team was announced on Thursday afternoon following a vote by the league’s coaches.
The four teams remaining in the Great Midwest Championship bracket include No. 1 (North) Hillsdale) vs. No. 3 (North) Trevecca Nazarene along with No. 1 (South) Ashland vs. No. 3 (South) Ohio Dominican.
Both Trevecca Nazarene and Ohio Dominican won their quarterfinal matches on Tuesday on the road at campus sites. The semifinals will be conducted on Friday from the campus of Hillsdale at Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena at 5 and 7:30 p.m. ET.
The coaches’ vote determined a total of 37 student-athletes (including one tie) on this year’s all-conference team. Each first, second or third team, had (2) outside/right side hitters, (2) middle blockers, (1) setter and (1) defensive specialist/libero followed by (6) wild card selections of the highest vote getters regardless of position.
The individual awards were also announced in the form of the Great Midwest Player of the Year, Great Midwest Freshman of the Year, Great Midwest Coach of the Year and the Elite 25 Award Winner.
The Elite 25 Award winner was announced as Ohio Dominican’s Mya Linder, a junior defensive specialist majoring in Biology. Linder has a 3.98 cumulative GPA as she and her teammates prepare for the program’s first tournament semifinal appearance since joining the conference in 2017.
Ashland’s Erin Krupar parlayed a dominant season from her outside position to receive Great Midwest Player of the Year honors in the Eagles’ first year as a league member. The senior led the league in points per set (5.06) and was second in kills per set (4.54) while earning a number of divisional player of the week awards for the South Division.
The Great Midwest Coach of the Year is a familiar name with Hillsdale’s Chris Gravel. The Chargers reeled off another undefeated season in the conference standings and secured the North Division title outright. Hillsdale is also currently ranked third in the Midwest Region rankings and has been ranked each week in the AVCA Top 25 Poll.
Findlay’s Journey Blevins established herself as the league leader in kills per set as a rookie, thus earning the merit of Great Midwest Freshman of the Year. Blevins is fourth in NCAA Division II in kills per set and is sixth among all players in total kills. Blevins also received offensive weekly honors a number of times for the Oilers representing the North Division this season.
Ashland, Trevecca Nazarene and Cedarville, each had a pair of first team all-conference selections while Hillsdale placed three on the list. The Trojans had their dominant duo of Ellie Buffer (OH) and Austyn Baldwin (MB) selected after ranking among the league's best in kills and hitting percentage from their respective positions. The Yellow Jackets had two standouts up front as well with Liene Miller (OH) and Lauren Willow (MB) each earning first team honors as wild cards.
In addition to Krupar, Ashland placed Katie Thompson on the first team as the league leader in digs per set. Hillsdale had two returning faces on the all-conference first team with former conference players of the year Karoline Shelton (OH) and Allyssa Van Wienen (MB) and star setter Lindsey Mertz.