Ray Named WIAC Player Of The Year
Fueled by an undefeated season in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball team had four All-WIAC first team selections for the first time in program history.
Named to the 12-person first team from UW-Oshkosh were Katie Beining (Sr. • Brookfield), Christina Cahoon (Jr. • Watertown), Jacque Ray (Sr. • Richland Center) and Katelyn Vara (Sr. • New Berlin).
Ray was named the Player of the Year in the conference to join the Titans' Christina Southward, who won the award in 2001, as the only UW-Oshkosh players to achieve the honor.
Rounding out the All-WIAC first team selections included UW-Eau Claire's Kristen Moore, UW-La Crosse's Brianne Stankus, UW-Platteville's Melissa Hillebrand, UW-River Falls' Gina DeRosa and Kelsey Scheele and UW-Whitewater's Caitlin Hogan, Keri Klotzbuecher and Melissa Zuleger.
Ray, a middle blocker, claimed first team laurels for the second straight year, leading the WIAC with 3.98 points per set and 1.23 blocks per set, while ranking third with a .315 hitting percentage and 3.10 kills per set. She has started 41 of 42 matches, reaching double-digits in kills in 24 matches, including a season-high 19 against UW-Platteville on Nov. 7.
Ray garnered Sports Imports/American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division III Player of the Week honors the week of Oct. 26 - Nov. 1, after being named the outstanding player at the Trinity University (Texas) Invitational. She was also twice named the WIAC Player of the Week.
Cahoon, a libero, received her second consecutive first team all-conference award, leading the WIAC with 6.27 digs per set and finishing third with .34 service aces per set. She started all 41 matches she participated in and reached double-digits in digs in all but one match. She posted a career-high 40 digs in a four-set win over Christopher Newport University (Va.) in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Championship on Nov. 19.
Beining, a right-side hitter and Vara, a setter, were both named to the squad for the first time. Beining finished fifth in the WIAC with .33 service aces per set, 10th with a .253 hitting percentage and 3.21 points per set and 11th with 2.65 kills per set. Previously she was named All-WIAC honorable mention in 2005 and 2006. Beining started 41 of 42 matches for the Titans, registered double digit kills in 19 contests, including a season-high 19 in a four-set win over St. Norbert College on Sept. 15.
Vara led the WIAC with 1,478 assists and finished second with 10.63 assists per set. She was named the Oct. 12-18 WIAC Player of the Week and had 12 double-doubles on the year. Starting all but one match for UW-Oshkosh, Vara dished out 50 or more assists on four occasions. She provided a career-high 22 digs and added 50 assists in a four-set victory over St. Norbert College on Sept. 26.
Named to the four-member All-Defensive Team were UW-Oshkosh's Cahoon, UW-Platteville's Abby Carey, UW-Stout's Alicia Mizer and UW-Whitewater's Alyssa Bauer. Cahoon and Bauer were recognized for the second consecutive year.
Brian Schaefer was voted the league's Coach of the Year for the second straight season and third time in his career. He also won the award in 2005. Schaefer directed the Titans, who compiled a 29-match winning streak to start the season, to the 10th conference title in program history and a perfect WIAC mark for the first time since 1990. He owns a 189-29 record in six seasons in charge of the Titans.
An All-Sportsmanship Team was chosen for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. Named to the squad were UW-Eau Claire's Cassie Hunt, UW-La Crosse's Liz Schlobohm, UW-Oshkosh's Megan Fischer (Sr. • Manitowoc), UW-Platteville's Stephanie Tronnes, UW-River Falls' Andria Vetsch, UW-Stevens Point's Pam Nora, UW-Stout's Sara Kjos, UW-Superior's Audra Stevenson and UW-Whitewater's Annie Berkley.