By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State women’s basketball sophomores Katie Wagner and Olivia Hollenbeck were both listed on the 2023 MIAA Postseason Awards list, announced Tuesday (Feb. 28) by the league office. Wagner was one of five players conference-wide to earn first-team status, while Hollenbeck was a third-team selection this season.
Fort Hays State was one of five schools in the conference with multiple players selected to the first, second or third teams this season. Wagner is the 10th first team All-MIAA selection for the Tigers since FHSU joined the Association in 2006-07, while Hollenbeck became the ninth Tiger to earn a trio of All-MIAA honors. She joins Jaden Hobbs, Kacey Kennett, Tatyana Legette, Carly Heim, Jill Faxon, Beth Bohuslavsky, Kate Lehman and Kaitlyn Edwards in that club.
Wagner picked up first team honors after earning a spot on the second team last season. She is one of two players in the conference to rank inside the top seven in both scoring and rebounding, ranking seventh in the league with 14.9 points per game and sixth with 7.7 rebounds per contest. Her 10 double-doubles are second-most in the MIAA and 37th in Division II.
The Maize, Kan. native was one of 14 players in the league with a 30-point game this season, erupting for a career-high 30 points on the road against Pittsburg State earlier this month (2/16/23). She ranked seventh in the league in field-goal percentage (45.4 percent) and sixth in free-throw accuracy (79.1 percent). Wagner led the team in scoring 13 times and in rebounding 15 times this season, reaching double figures in the points column 24 times in 28 games played.
This is Hollenbeck’s third appearance on the All-MIAA awards list after earning honorable mention status each of the last two seasons. The forward ranks 16th in the league in scoring, putting up 12.7 points per contest, while ranking 22nd with 4.9 rebounds each night. Her 1.1 blocks per outing are eighth-most in the league.
Hollenbeck ranks second on the team with a field-goal percentage of 52.7 percent. The Lincoln, Neb. native led the Tigers in scoring eight times this season, while leading the way in rebounds 10 times. She scored in double figures 19 times on the year, including four games with at least 20 points.
Wagner, Hollenbeck and the rest of their Tiger teammates will open the postseason on Friday (March 3) against Missouri Western in the quarterfinals of the MIAA Championship Tournament, presented by Southern Bank beginning at 8:15 p.m. inside historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
2023 MIAA Postseason Awards
Player of the Year – Brooke Littrell – Central Missouri, Redshirt-Sophomore
Defensive Player of the Year – Connie Clarke – Missouri Western, Junior
Freshman of the Year – Harper Schreiner – Pittsburg State
Coach of the Year – Carrie Eighmey – Nebraska Kearney
2023 All-MIAA First Team
Brooke Littrell – Central Missouri, Redshirt-Sophomore
Tre’Zure Jobe – Emporia State, Junior
Katie Wagner – Fort Hays State, Sophomore
Lacy Stokes – Missouri Southern, Sophomore
Brionna Budgetts – Missouri Western, Junior
2023 All-MIAA Second Team
Olivia Nelson – Central Missouri, Redshirt-Sophomore
Connie Clarke – Missouri Western, Junior
Klaire Kirsch – Nebraska Kearney, Senior
Shiloh McCool – Nebraska Kearney, Redshirt-Junior
Tristan Gegg – Pittsburg State, Senior
2023 All-MIAA Third Team
Olivia Hollenbeck – Fort Hays State, Sophomore
Elisa Backes – Nebraska Kearney, Senior
Britney Ho – Newman, Senior
Molly Hartnett – Northwest Missouri, Sophomore
Karenna Gerber – Pittsburg State, Sophomore
2023 MIAA All-Defensive Team
Olivia Nelson – Central Missouri, Redshirt-Sophomore
Lacy Stokes – Missouri Southern, Sophomore
Madi Stokes – Missouri Southern, Junior
Connie Clarke – Missouri Western, Junior
Klaire Kirsch – Nebraska Kearney, Senior
Jayna Green – Northwest Missouri, Junior
-Reflect Tie in Voting
2023 All-MIAA Honorable Mention
Central Oklahoma: Aspen Williston, Senior – Brooke Rayner, Senior
Missouri Southern: Kryslyn Jones, Junior – Layne Skiles, Senior – Madi Stokes, Junior
Missouri Western: Johnni Gonzalez, Junior – Trinity Knapp, Junior
Nebraska Kearney: Sarah Schmitt, Redshirt-Junior
Newman: Maddie Spagnola, Graduate
Northeastern State: Courtney Lee, Sophomore
Northwest Missouri: Kelsey Fields, Sophomore
Pittsburg State: Grace Pyle, Sophomore – Harper Schreiner, Freshman
Rogers State: Bailey Kliewer, Senior
Washburn: Aubree Dewey, Junior