KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its weekly award winners for the tenth week of the 2023 volleyball season.
MIAA Offensive Athlete of the Week – Kersti Nix, Central Missouri
Kersti Nix had 24 kills (3.43 kills per set) on 42 swings for a .476 hitting percentage as the Jennies went 2-0 last week with wins over Missouri Southern and Newman. The redshirt senior collected 18 kills on 31 attempts (.452 attack percentage) while adding four digs and three blocks for good measure in against the Lions.
MIAA Defensive Athlete of the Week – Jaedynn Evans, Central Oklahoma
Jaedynn Evans led the defensive efforts as No. 17-ranked Central Oklahoma won at Washburn and at Emporia State this weekend. Evans totaled 53 digs in two matches averaging 6.63 per set for the weekend. She totaled 37 digs in the five-set thriller at Washburn and added 16 digs in a three-set sweep at Emporia State. This is Evans’s sixth MIAA Defensive Athlete of the Week honor this season – the most weekly honors of any MIAA volleyball player this season.
MIAA Setter of the Week – Lindsey Houran, Central Oklahoma
Lindsey Houran directed the winning ways for No. 17 Central Oklahoma as the Bronchos beat Washburn and Emporia State on the road this week. Houran had 98 assists in two matches with an average of 12.25 assists per set (eight sets). Houran collected 58 assists in a five-set thriller at Washburn as she helped the Bronchos storm back late in the fifth set for the win. She then added 40 assists in a three-set sweep at Emporia. This is Houran’s fourth MIAA Setter of the Week honor this season.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Offensive
Jaden Ferguson – Nebraska Kearney
Form the right side, Jaden Ferguson recorded 3.29 kills, 4.00 digs and 0.71 blocks per set for the No. 10-ranked Lopers while hitting .247. The senior had a season-high 16 kills in a 3-1 win at St. Joe, pushing her collegiate total to 998. She also collected her seventh double double of the fall against the Griffs.
Mallorie Koehn – Central Oklahoma
Mallorie Koehn led Central Oklahoma’s well-balanced offensive attack this week as the No. 17-ranked Bronchos won at Washburn and at Emporia State. Koehn had 24 kills in two matches and averaged 3.00 kills per set (eight sets). She also had one service ace and three blocks, averaging 3.06 points per set. Koehn landed 15 kills in the five-set thriller at Washburn and had nine kills in the three-set sweep at Emporia State.
Defensive
Lauren Taubenheim – Nebraska Kearney
Lauren Taubenheim pushed her career dig total to 902 by having efforts of 22 against Northwest Missouri and 21 against Missouri Western, respectively, this weekend. The libero was at 6.00 digs per set while also being 42-for-42 in serve receive in the Lopers win over the Griffs.
Grace Winkelmann – Central Missouri
The Jennies libero collected 31 digs in overall averaging 4.43 digs per set in wins over Missouri Southern and Newman last week. Winkelmann had a team-high 20 digs and five assists against the Lions making it 24 consecutive matches with double-digit dig performances including seven with 20 or more.
Setter
Peyton Neff – Nebraska Kearney
Peyton Neff averaged 11.86 assists per set as the Lopers picked up a pair of MIAA victories over the weekend. The redshirt-sophomore totaled 35 assists in UNK’s 3-0 win at Northwest Missouri, then added 47 in the 3-1 victory at Missouri Western. She also collected 18 digs, six blocks, six kills and three aces in the two matches.
Olivia Olson – Central Missouri
The reigning MIAA Setter of the Week helped the Jennies to a 2-0 record last week with wins over Missouri Southern and Newman collecting 69 assists (averaging 9.86 assists per set) adding 19 digs and seven blocks and five kills. Olson Recorded her 14th double-double of the year against the Lions where she had a match-high 40 assists, 10 digs, six blocks, and four kills for good measure.
2023 MIAA VOLLEYBALL ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Offensive Athlete of the Week
Week One: Sandora Sasaki, Emporia State
Week Two: Kersti Nix, Central Missouri
Week Three: Rachel Schwensen, Washburn
Week Four: Emersen Cyza, Nebraska Kearney
Week Five: Elinor Engel, Central Missouri & Jenna Karp, Central Oklahoma
Week Six: Sandora Saski, Emporia State
Week Seven: Taylor Russell, Missouri Western
Week Eight: Sandora Sasaki, Emporia State
Week Nine: Sandora Sasaki, Emporia State
Week Ten: Kersti Nix, Central Missouri
Defensive Athlete of the Week
Week One: Celeste Friesen, Nebraska Kearney
Week Two: Emily Ellis, Fort Hays State
Week Three: Jaedynn Evans, Central Oklahoma
Week Four: Kyah Luhring, Northwest Missouri
Week Five: Jaedynn Evans, Central Oklahoma
Week Six: Jaedynn Evans, Central Oklahoma
Week Seven: Jaedynn Evans, Central Oklahoma
Week Eight: Jaedynn Evans, Central Oklahoma
Week Nine: Anna Weberg, Missouri Western
Week Ten: Jaedynn Evans, Central Oklahoma
Setter Athlete of the Week
Week One: Peyton Neff, Nebraska Kearney
Week Two: Nessa Johnson, Missouri Western
Week Three: Olivia Olson, Central Missouri
Week Four: Ella Caffery, Northwest Missouri
Week Five: Lindsey Houran, Central Oklahoma
Week Six: Peyton Neff, Nebraska Kearney
Week Seven: Lindsey Houran, Central Oklahoma
Week Eight: Lindsey Houran, Central Oklahoma
Week Nine: Olivia Olson, Central Missouri
Week Ten: Lindsey Houran, Central Oklahoma