By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State volleyball team placed a trio of student-athletes on the 2021 All-MIAA performer list, with Morgan Christiansen, Claire Olson and Riley Tinder all earning honorable mention status.
Morgan Christiansen earned her first All-MIAA honor after leading the Tigers with 111 total blocks and an attack percentage of .267. The junior averaged 1.08 blocks per set, ranking third in the conference and in the top 50 across all Division II. The middle hitter started all 29 matches and appeared in all 103 sets this season for the Tigers, tallying 223 kills to rank third on the team. Christiansen totaled 10 blocks in two different matches, tied for second-most by a Tiger during the rally scoring era (2001-present). She also picked up five solo blocks at Missouri Western, tied for the most in a match by a Tiger since 2001. The Lincoln, Neb. native reached 10 kills eight times, including a career-high 15 against Pittsburg State.
Claire Olson picked up All-MIAA accolades after a strong true-freshman campaign. The right-side hitter ranked second on the team with an attack percentage of .252, fourth on the team with an average of 1.94 kills per set and third on the team with 59 blocks. The Topeka, Kan. native totaled 175 kills on the year across 90 sets. She played in 28 matches and started 21 of those contests. She tied for fourth on the team with an average of 2.28 points per set while adding 49 digs on defense. Olson totaled 10 kills five times, including two matches with 19 kills.
Riley Tinder was an All-MIAA selection after leading the Tigers in kills, totaling 238 while playing and starting in every match this season. The sophomore also led the team with an average of 2.31 kills and 2.74 points per set while ranking second with 20 service aces and an average of 3.34 digs per set. She ranked 13th in the conference in digs per set and seventh in total attacks after attempting 817 swings on the year. Tinder totaled 10 or more kills nine times, including a career-best 20 against Emporia State. She also reached double figures in digs 19 times, including four matches with at least 20 digs. Her season-high of 25 came against Newman. She tallied seven double-doubles on the year.
2021 Volleyball All-MIAA Awards
Player of the Year: Audrey Fisher, MB – Central Missouri
Freshman of the Year: Payton Kirchhoefer, OH/RS – Northwest Missouri
Coach of the Year: Flip Piontek – Central Missouri
First-Team
Kersti Nix, OH – Central Missouri
Sydney Lierz, OH – Central Missouri
Audrey Fisher, MB – Central Missouri
Hannah Engelken, MB – Central Missouri
Ally Offerdahl, S – Central Missouri
Courtney Lane, OH/RS – Central Oklahoma
Emersen Cyza, OH – Nebraska Kearney
Anna Squiers, MB – Nebraska Kearney
Madison Squiers, S – Nebraska Kearney
Payton Kirchhoefer, OH/RS – Northwest Missouri
Kelsey Havel, OH – Northwest Missouri
Alyssa Rezac, S – Northwest Missouri
Genna Berg, OH – Washburn
Kelsey Gordon, OH/RS – Washburn
Allison Maxwell, MB – Washburn
Allison Sadler, S – Washburn
Faith Rottinghaus, L/DS – Washburn
[Reflects ties in voting]
Second-Team
Hannah VanBuskirk, OH/RS – Central Missouri
Rylie Barnum, L/DS – Central Missouri
Jenna Karp, MB – Central Oklahoma
Amanda Desch, S – Central Oklahoma
Katie Le, L/DS – Central Oklahoma
Allie Kerns, OH/RS – Missouri Western
Ali Tauchen, MB – Missouri Western
Lauren Taubenheim, OH – Nebraska Kearney
Bailee Sterling, MB – Nebraska Kearney
Lindsay Nottlemann, L/DS – Nebraska Kearney
Riley Daugherty, OH – Newman
Jaden Ferguson, OH – Northwest Missouri
Rachel Sturdevant, MB – Northwest Missouri
Hannah Koechl, L/DS – Northwest Missouri
Meg Auten, OH – Pittsburg State
Hope White, MB – Pittsburg State
Marissa Bates, L/DS – Pittsburg State
Sydney Fitzgibbons, MB – Washburn
[Reflects ties in voting]
Honorable Mention
Central Missouri: Aubree Bell – OH
Emporia State: Orianna Clements – OH/RS; Rylie Fornelli – L/DS
Fort Hays State: Claire Olson – RS; Riley Tinder – OH/RS; Morgan Christiansen – MB
Missouri Western: Danielle Moje – MB
Nebraska Kearney: Cece Beahm – OH
Newman: Salome Romp – OH
Northwest Missouri: Abby Brunssen – MB
Pittsburg State: Janae Thurston – RS
Washburn: Jalyn Stevenson – OH; Taylor Antonowich – OH/RS