By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three student-athletes from the Fort Hays State volleyball team picked up All-MIAA accolades for their performance during the 2023 season, announced Wednesday (Nov. 15) by the league office. Emily Ellis was a second team selection, while Gracie Rains and Riley Tinder both earned honorable mention status.
Ellis earned a spot on the second team for a second year in a row after leading the league with 108 total blocks. She tied for third in the conference with 1.04 blocks per set, the best average of her career at FHSU. The Colorado Springs, Colo. native completed her career with 348 blocks, fifth-most at Fort Hays State during the NCAA DII era. She totaled 213 kills on the year, also a single-season career high, to rank third on the team while leading the way with an attack percentage of .236. The middle blocker recorded nine or more blocks in a match three times this season, a total reached by MIAA student-athletes just seven times all year.
Tinder received All-MIAA honors for a third time in her career, receiving honorable mention status after picking up second team accolades in 2022 and honorable mention recognition in 2021. The outside hitter ranked second on the team in both kills per set (2.27 k/s) and digs per set (3.20 d/s), good for 15th in the league in digs. She completed her career with an average of 3.35 digs per frame, ranking 10th at FHSU during the DII era. A native of Basehor, Kan., Tinder recorded 10 double-doubles on the year, surpassing 10 kills 13 times and recording 20 or more digs three times.
Rains earned her first All-MIAA award after leading the team with 265 kills. She ranked 11th in the conference with an average of 2.94 kills per set. The Newton, Kan. native added 40 blocks and 50 digs on defense, helping her to a team-high 3.17 points per frame. She racked up 21 kills in a single match against Missouri Southern this season (Oct. 13), the most in a match by a Tiger this season and one of 19 20-plus kill performances in a match by an MIAA student-athlete this season.
2023 MIAA Volleyball Postseason Awards
Player of the Year: Olivia Olson, Central Missouri, S, Jr.
Defensive Player of the Year: Jaedynn Evans, Central Oklahoma, L/DS, Gr.*
Setter of the Year: Olivia Olson, Central Missouri, Jr.
Freshman of the Year: Molly Heldt, Missouri Western, OH
Coach of the Year: Caitlin Peterson, Central Missouri
*Indicates Unanimous Selection
2023 All-MIAA First Team
Abby Brunssen, MB – Northwest Missouri
Emersen Cyza, OH – Nebraska Kearney
Elinor Engel, MB – Central Missouri
Jaedynn Evans, L/DS – Central Oklahoma*
Jaden Ferguson, RS – Nebraska Kearney*
Holly Heldt, OH – Missouri Western
Sydney Huck, OH – Central Oklahoma
Jenna Karp, MB – Central Oklahoma
Peyton Neff, S – Nebraska Kearney
Kersti Nix, OH – Central Missouri*
Olivia Olson, S – Central Missouri*
Sandora Sasaki, OH/RS – Emporia State*
Rachel Schwensen, RS – Washburn
Jalyn Stevenson, OH – Washburn
Anna Weberg, L/DS – Missouri Western
Rachel Ziesman, MB – Central Missouri
— Reflects Ties in Voting
*Indicates Unanimous Selection
2023 All-MIAA Second Team
Mia Berg, MB – Nebraska Kearney
Fernanda Canedo, OH – Missouri Southern
Emily Ellis, MB – Fort Hays State
Lindsey Houran, S – Central Oklahoma
Nessa Johnson, S – Missouri Western
Avery Kemp, MB – Northwest Missouri
Mallorie Koehn, OH – Central Oklahoma
Sydney Lierz, OH – Central Missouri
Corinna McMullen, S – Washburn
Danielle Moje, MB – Missouri Western
Amelia Neels, MB – Missouri Southern
Taylor Rottinghaus, L/DS – Washburn
Taylor Russell, OH – Missouri Western
Emma Siron, OH/RS – Central Missouri
Lauren Taubenheim, L/DS – Nebraska Kearney
Janae Thurston, OH – Pittsburg State
Addison Wimmer, OH – Central Oklahoma
— Reflects Ties in Voting
2023 All-MIAA Honorable Mentions
Central Missouri: Grace Southern, MB; Grace Winkelmann, L/DS
Emporia State: Brailee Dogle, S
Fort Hays State: Riley Tinder, OH; Gracie Rains, OH
Missouri Southern: Kyla Randall, L/DS
Nebraska Kearney: Asha Regier, OH; Jensen Rowse, L/DS
Newman: Ozioma Ajekwu, MB
Northwest Missouri: Ella Caffery, S; Kyah Luhring, L/DS
Pittsburg State: Josie McCroskey, L/DS