
MADISON, S.D. -- A total of seven Bruins were recognized by the North Star Athletic Association as the all-conference teams were released today by the league office.
Junior middle blocker Mikaylah Gillespie, sophomore rightside hitter Shayla Scanlan and freshman setter Maddie Squiers were all named to the first team. In addition, Squiers was recognized as the NSAA Freshman of the Year.
Junior libero Taylor Holz and junior middle blocker Hope Lambrecht garnered second team honors and senior outside hitter Pakalana Helekahi and senior defensive specialist Verenice Chaparro earned honorable mention accolades.
Gillespie finished third in the conference with 1.1 blocks per set and leads the Bruins with 158 total blocks. She also ranked fourth in the NSAA with a .286 hitting percentage. Gillespie, who has started all 40 matches this season, was named the NSAA Attacker of the Week on Oct. 24.
Scanlan hit a league second-best .335 and was second on the Bruins with 364 kills. She finished sixth in the conference with 0.9 blocks per set and was third overall on the team with 122 total blocks. This is Scanlan's second-straight first-team all-NSAA honor.
Squiers earned NSAA Setter of the Week honors seven times and was twice named the NAIA National Setter of the Week. She currently leads the nation with 1,635 total assists and is fifth with 11.2 assists per game. Squiers leads BU with 14 double-doubles on the season.
BU assistant coach Steve Field was awarded Assistant Coach of the Year honors by the conference. Field is head coach Trish Siedlik's right-hand man who is responsible for training the team's setters and middles in addition to assisting in all facets of the program.
The 17th-ranked Bruins finished in a tie for second place in the NSAA regular-season standings, finishing with a 13-3 conference record. Bellevue will host Haskell Indian Nations University on Saturday, Nov. 19 in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round. The match will begin at 2 p.m. at Bellevue's Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
2016 all-NSAA Volleyball First Team Selections
Name | Position | Class | School | Hometown |
Amelia Grahn | Setter | Jr. | Viterbo | Madison, Wis. |
Maddie Squiers | Setter | Fr. | Bellevue | Kearney, Neb. |
Nicole Warren | Libero | Sr. | Jamestown | Oakes, N.D. |
Shayla Scanlan | Right Side | So. | Bellevue | Plattsmouth, Neb. |
Baylee Gross | Libero | Jr. | Viterbo | West Bend, Wis. |
Morgan Hensch | Outside Hitter | Jr. | Jamestown | Fergus Falls, Minn. |
Siera Skow | Outside Hitter | Jr. | Viterbo | Hartford, Wis. |
Mikaylah Gillespie | Middle Blocker | Jr. | Bellevue | Belleview, Fla. |
Haley Glasoe | Middle Blocker | Jr. | Jamestown | Wildrose, N.D. |
Sara Biermaier | Outside Hitter | Sr. | Viterbo | Woodbury, Minn. |
Clarissa Olson | Middle Blocker | So. | Valley City State | Valley City, N.D. |
Emilee Wiersma | Right Side |
Sr. | Viterbo | Waupun, Wis. |
Danielle Boyette | Right Side/Setter | Sr. | Dickinson State | Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. |
2016 all-NSAA Volleyball Second Team Selections
Name | Position | Year | School | Hometown |
Hope Lambrecht | Middle Blocker | Jr. | Bellevue | Wood River, Neb. |
Carly Rozell | Right Side | Jr. | Dakota State | Aberdeen, S.D. |
Briley Sullivan | Libero | Jr. | Waldorf | Laurens, Iowa |
Taylor Holz | Libero | Jr. | Bellevue | Omaha, Neb. |
Heather Bachman | Right Side | Sr. | Jamestown | Bloomington, Minn. |
Madison Wendel | Middle Blocker | Jr. | Jamestown | Carrington, N.D. |
Stephany Wold | Opposite | Sr. | Mayville State | Underwood, N.D. |
Aubrey Aspen | Middle Hitter | So. | Viterbo | Sparta, Wis. |
Honorable Mention
Bellevue -- Verenice Chaparro, Pakalana Helekahi
2016 NSAA Volleyball Postseason Awards:
Offensive Player of the Year: Natalie Geidel -- Viterbo
Setter of the Year: Amelia Grahn -- Viterbo
Defensive Player of the Year: Nicole Warren -- Jamestown
Freshman of the Year: Maddie Squiers -- Bellevue
Coach of the Year: Ryan DeLong -- Viterbo
Assistant Coach of the Year: Steve Field -- Bellevue