Women's Volleyball
Athletes of the Week

Week of Oct. 26 - Nov. 1
Jacque Ray, Senior (Richland Center), Middle Blocker of UW-Oshkosh
Ray was named the most valuable player of the Trinity University (Texas) National Invitational after leading UW-Oshkosh to sweeps of Wittenberg University (Ohio) and Trinity University and a 3-2 win over Juniata College (Pa.).  Ray started the tournament on Oct. 30 by hitting .409 on 12 kills and added four blocks in the Titans’ 25-21, 25-16, 26-24 victory over No. 8-ranked Wittenberg University.  On Oct. 31, Ray collected 13 kills on 23 attempts for a .391 hitting percentage and added five blocks in a 25-18, 26-24, 25-18 win over the No. 18-ranked Tigers.  In the tournament championship match against No. 1-ranked Juniata College, Ray had a match-high 18 kills on a .421 hitting percentage and tallied five blocks in a 22-25, 25-23, 18-25, 25-18, 15-13 victory.  For the weekend, Ray had 43 kills on a .410 hitting percentage and had 14 blocks for the No. 2-ranked Titans.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Blair Murphy, Junior, Outside Hitter, Hermantown, Minn.
UW-La Crosse, Brianne Stankus, Senior, Rightside Hitter, Burlington
UW-Platteville, Abby Carey, Junior, Defensive Specialist, Belmont
UW-River Falls, Gina DeRosa, Senior, Middle Hitter, Maplewood, Minn. (North St. Paul)
UW-Stout, Kate Mikutowski, Freshman, Outside Hitter, Stillwater, Minn.
UW-Superior, Chelsie Christofferson, Senior, Outside Hitter, Buffalo Point, Manitoba (Warroad)
UW-Whitewater, Sofia Sanchez, Sophomore, Outside Hitter, Janesville (Craig)

Week of Oct. 19 - 25
Brianne Stankus, Senior (Burlington), Rightside Hitter of UW-La Crosse
Stankus was named to the All-Tournament Team at the UW-La Crosse Invitational on Oct. 23-24.  She averaged 3.67 kills and 3.07 digs in four matches.  Stankus had three double-doubles in the invitational, including 17 kills and 17 digs against Clarke College (Iowa).  She had 16 kills and 14 digs against Cornell College (Iowa).

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Lindsey Smith, Senior, Libero, Maple Lake, Minn.
UW-Oshkosh, Katie Beining, Senior, Rightside Hitter, Brookfield (East)
UW-Platteville, Briana Kaiser, Sophomore, Middle Hitter, Cuba City
UW-River Falls, Gina DeRosa, Senior, Middle Hitter, Maplewood, Minn. (North St. Paul)
UW-Stout, Steph Nicols, Junior, Outside Hitter, Greendale
UW-Superior, Chelsie Christofferson, Senior, Outside Hitter, Buffalo Point, Manitoba (Warroad)
UW-Whitewater, Caitlin Hogan, Junior, Rightside Hitter, New London

Week of Oct. 12 - 18
Katelyn Vara, Senior (New Berlin/West), Setter of UW-Oshkosh
Vara collected the tournament’s most outstanding player award after helping the Titans to a 4-0 record and a first-place finish at the UW-Oshkosh Titan Tussle on Oct. 16-17.  UW-Oshkosh, the top-ranked team in the NCAA Division III by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, defeated No. 24-ranked Eastern University (Pa.), 3-2, St. Catherine University (Minn.), 3-0, No. 9-ranked University of St. Thomas (Minn.), 3-2, and Bethel University (Minn.), 3-0.  Vara played in all 16 sets and hit .476 with 10 kills, 35 digs and 149 assists.  In the win over the University of St. Thomas, Vara totaled 40 assists and 15 digs.  She had three kills, three digs and 43 assists in the Titans’ win over Eastern University.  UW-Oshkosh has won 27 straight matches and 187 of its last 207.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Blair Murphy, Junior, Libero, Hermantown, Minn.
UW-La Crosse, Brianne Stankus, Senior, Rightside Hitter, Burlington
UW-Platteville, Briana Kaiser, Sophomore, Middle Hitter, Cuba City
UW-River Falls, Erin Green, Freshman, Middle Hitter, Fridley, Minn.
UW-Stevens Point, Morgan Bartkowiak, Freshman, Middle Hitter, Slinger
UW-Stout, Steph Nichols, Junior, Outside Hitter, Greendale
UW-Superior, Nikki Gosson, Freshman, Middle Hitter, Mankato, Minn.
UW-Whitewater, Melissa Zuleger, Senior, Middle Hitter, Little Chute

Week of Oct. 5 - 11
Kelsey Scheele, Senior (Norwood, Minn./Mayer Lutheran), Outside Hitter of UW-River Falls
Scheele helped the Falcons to a 4-1 record on the week, including a 4-0 mark at the Coe College (Iowa) Invitational.  Against UW-Eau Claire on Oct. 7, she accumulated 20 kills and 22 digs to set the school’s career digs record and currently owns 1,837 digs.  In five matches (17 sets) during the week, Scheele averaged 3.41 digs and 3.41 kills.  She added six service aces, two solo blocks and four block assists.  The Falcons beat Augustana College (Ill.), Coe College, Fontbonne College (Mo.) and University of Dubuque (Iowa).

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Katie Wall, Sophomore, Middle Hitter, Madison (LaFollette)
UW-La Crosse, Brianne Stankus, Senior, Rightside Hitter, Burlington
UW-Oshkosh, Katie Beining, Senior, Rightside Hitter, Brookfield (East)
UW-Platteville, Samantha Rampart, Freshman, Outside Hitter, Trevor (Westosha Central)
UW-Stevens Point, Morgan Bartkowiak, Freshman, Middle Hitter, Slinger
UW-Stout, Kate Mikutowski, Freshman, Outside Hitter, Stillwater, Minn.
UW-Superior, Chelsie Christofferson, Senior, Outside Hitter, Buffalo Point, Manitoba (Warroad)
UW-Whitewater, Keri Klotzbuecher, Sophomore, Outside Hitter, Clintonville

Week of Sept. 28 - Oct. 4
Melissa Hillebrand, Junior (Davenport, Iowa/West), Outside Hitter of UW-Platteville
Hillebrand led the Pioneers to the team championship at the Illinois Wesleyan Classic on Oct. 3-4.  She had career-best 23 kills against Illinois Wesleyan University and 22 more in a win over No. 7-ranked Hope College (Mich.). Hillebrand’s totals in five matches played during the week included 88 kills (4.19/set), 19 digs, 11 block assists and a .369 hitting percentage.  The Pioneers beat five teams with a cumulative 70-29 record.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Kristen Moore, Senior, Rightside Hitter, Green Bay (Ashwaubenon)
UW-La Crosse, Melannie Tate, Junior, Libero, Stanley (Stanley-Boyd)
UW-Oshkosh, Jacque Ray, Senior, Middle Blocker, Richland Center
UW-River Falls, Gina DeRosa, Senior, Middle Hitter, Maplewood, Minn. (North St. Paul)
UW-Stevens Point, Christina Brinkman, Freshman, Middle Hitter/Outside Hitter, Bristol (Westosha Central)
UW-Stout, Kate Mikutowski, Freshman, Outside Hitter, Stillwater, Minn.
UW-Superior, Jenny Olson, Senior, Rightside Hitter, Elk River, Minn.
UW-Whitewater, Caitlin Hogan, Junior, Rightside Hitter, New London

Week of Sept. 21 - 27
Alyssa Bauer, Sophomore (Naperville, Ill./Central), Libero of UW-Whitewater
Bauer helped UW-Whitewater compile a 4-1 record during the week, including three matches against ranked teams.  She led the team in digs in four of the five matches, including 30 against No. 1-ranked UW-Oshkosh on Sept. 23 and 32 against No. 7-ranked Carthage College on Sept. 25.  In the five matches, Bauer amassed 127 digs (6.04/set).  The only loss for the Warhawks during the week was at top-ranked UW-Oshkosh and included wins over No. 7-ranked Carthage College and Heidelberg College (Ohio) who received votes.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Emily Zupon, Junior, Outside Hitter, Antigo
UW-La Crosse, Melannie Tate, Junior, Libero/Defensive Specialist, Stanley (Stanley-Boyd)
UW-Oshkosh, Katie Beining, Senior, Rightside Hitter, Brookfield (East)
UW-Platteville, Briana Kaiser, Sophomore, Middle Hitter/Rightside Hitter, Cuba City
UW-River Falls, Danielle Gibbemeyer, Freshman, Outside Hitter, St. Paul, Minn. (Cretin Derham Hall)
UW-Stevens Point, Pam Nora, Senior, Middle Hitter/Outside Hitter, Forest Lake, Minn.
UW-Stout, Hope Weilage, Freshman, Middle Hitter, Marshall, Minn.
UW-Superior, Samantha Blake, Senior, Libero, Blaine, Minn.

Week of Sept. 14 - 20
Kelsey Scheele, Senior (Norwood, Minn./Mayer Lutheran), Outside Hitter of UW-River Falls
Scheele played two solid matches against nationally ranked teams during the week, including a victory over No. 9-ranked UW-Whitewater at the Karges Center on Sept. 19. She led the Falcons with nine kills, two aces and 15 digs in the win over the Warhawks, while adding two block assists.  In a loss to No. 3-ranked UW-Oshkosh on Sept. 18, Scheele led the team with 12 kills, two aces and 17 digs. She added two block assists in the match.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Rachel Ver Voot, Junior, Outside Hitter, Madison (Middleton)
UW-La Crosse, Brianne Stankus, Senior, Rightside Hitter, Burlington
UW-Oshkosh, Katie Beining, Senior, Rightside Hitter, Brookfield (East)
UW-Platteville, Ali Sikic, Sophomore, Setter, Sugar Grove, Ill. (Rosary)
UW-Stevens Point, Christina Brinkman, Freshman, Outside Hitter/Middle Hitter, Bristol (Westosha Central)
UW-Stout, Kendra Pagel, Senior, Middle Hitter, Wausau (West)
UW-Superior, Rachel Langer, Sophomore, Middle Hitter, Ellsworth
UW-Whitewater, Kelli Trautmann, Sophomore, Libero, Little Chute

Week of Sept. 7 - 13
Alyse Karls, Senior (Dane/Lodi), Setter of UW-Whitewater
Karls helped UW-Whitewater to a 3-1 record and was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Washington University (Mo.) National Invitational on Sept. 11-12, including victories over No. 4-ranked Ohio Northern University, No. 10-ranked Pacific Lutheran University (Wash.) and No. 18-ranked Concordia University-Moorhead (Minn.).  Against Ohio Northern, she had 45 assists, 14 digs and nine kills.  In 16 sets played during the week, Karls accumulated 171 assists (10.68/set) and 35 digs (2.19/set).  UW-Whitewater hit .296 in the four matches with their only loss to No. 8-ranked Washington (Mo.).

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Liz Amici, Sophomore, Middle Hitter, Whitewater
UW-La Crosse, Brianna Stankus, Senior, Rightside Hitter, Burlington
UW-Oshkosh, Andrea Smith, Junior, Outside Hitter, Fond du Lac
UW-Platteville, Briana Kaiser, Sophomore, Middle Hitter/Outside Hitter, Cuba City
UW-River Falls, Gina DeRosa, Senior, Middle Hitter, Maplewood, Minn. (North St. Paul)
UW-Stevens Point, Lizzy Taylor, Sophomore, Libero/Defensive Specialist, Eau Claire (Memorial)
UW-Stout, Alicia Mizer, Senior, Libero, Barron
UW-Superior, Samantha Blake, Senior, Libero, Blaine, Minn.

Week of Aug. 31 - Sept. 6
Jacque Ray, Senior (Richland Center), Middle Blocker of UW-Oshkosh
Ray received all-tournament honors after leading UW-Oshkosh to a 4-0 record at the Elmhurst College Invitational (Ill.) held Sept. 4-5.  She hit .385 with 52 kills and 20 blocks as UW-Oshkosh posted wins of 3-0 over Illinois Wesleyan University, 3-1 over Elmhurst College (Ill.), 3-0 over The College of Mount St. Joseph (Ohio) and 3-2 over Nebraska Wesleyan University.  Against Illinois Wesleyan, Ray hit .565 with 15 kills.  She also hit .400 with 12 kills and eight blocks against Elmhurst, .269 with 10 kills against Mount St. Joseph and .343 with 16 kills and seven blocks against Nebraska Wesleyan.  Ray led UW-Oshkosh in kills and blocks all four matches.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Lindsey Smith, Senior, Libero, Maple Lake, Minn.
UW-La Crosse, Brianne Stankus, Senior, Rightside Hitter, Burlington
UW-Platteville, Melissa Hillebrand, Junior, Outside Hitter, Davenport, Iowa (West)
UW-River Falls, Andria Vetsch, Senior, Rightside Hitter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Richfield)
UW-Stevens Point, Pam Nora, Senior, Middle Hitter/Outside Hitter, Forest Lake, Minn.
UW-Stout, Kate Mikutowski, Freshman, Middle Hitter, Stillwater, Minn.
UW-Superior, Kayla Finck, Junior, Setter, Bertha, Minn. (Bertha-Hewitt)
UW-Whitewater, Melissa Zuleger, Senior, Middle Blocker, Little Chute

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