Three Titans Collect All-Region Honors
UW-Oshkosh placed seniors Katelyn Malcheski and Mandy Trautmann and junior Nerissa Vogt on the American Volleyball Coaches Association's (AVCA) NCAA Division III All-Midwest Region First Team.
UW-Oshkosh's three selections to the 14-member first team were the most in the Midwest Region.
Malcheski was named to the first team for the second straight season, while Trautmann and Vogt are both first-time honorees.
With their All-Region accolades, Malcheski, Trautmann and Vogt are now eligible for the organization's All-America awards that will be announced on Nov. 18.
Malcheski, a left-side hitter, is a three-time All-WIAC First Team selection that shared the league's 2015 Offensive Player of the Year award with UW-La Crosse's Jill Entinger.
Malcheski ranks fourth in UW-Oshkosh history with 1,535 career kills, trailing only WIAC all-time leader Amy Cayemberg (2,292), Jean Harmsen (1,772) and Leah Rosenbaum (1,726). Malcheski, who registered double-digit kills in 26 of 35 matches this season, compiled 408 kills after recording 476 in 2014, 383 in 2013 and 268 in 2012.
Malcheski's kill total ranks second in the WIAC this season, while her .217 hitting percentage lists second on the team and 17th in the conference. She recorded a season-best 22 kills against the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) on Oct. 17 and 20 against UW-Platteville on Sept. 30.
Trautmann, a libero, was chosen as the WIAC's 2015 Defensive Player of the Year. She paces the league with 700 digs after leading the NCAA Division III with 833 last season. Trautmann ranks second in conference history with 2,646 career digs, trailing only the 2,753 by former Titan Christina Cahoon.
Trautmann, who was also selected to the WIAC's four-member All-Defensive Team for the third consecutive season, registered double-digit digs in 31 of her 33 matches played this year. She had 16 matches with 20 or more digs, including a school-record 47 against UW-Stevens Point on Nov. 6.
Vogt, a middle blocker, ranks third in the Division III with 169 blocks this season. She also lists fourth in the WIAC with a .284 hitting percentage and eighth with 435 points and 315 kills. She registered eight or more kills in 25 of her 34 matches played, including a season-high 18 against UW-Stevens Point on Nov. 6.
Vogt has recorded multiple blocks in 31 matches this year, including a season-high 12 against Cornell College (Iowa) on Oct. 3 and 11 against Illinois Wesleyan University on Oct. 16. She also had 16 kills against Cornell College and 15 against Illinois Wesleyan University for double-doubles.
Joining the UW-Oshkosh trio on the All-Midwest Region First Team were UW-La Crosse's Entinger and Staci Hasler and Lauren Pfiefer from UW-Whitewater.
Rounding out the selections were Kyleigh Block from Illinois Wesleyan University, Karen Chin and Emily Heuermann from Carthage College, Maren Loe from the University of Chicago (Ill.), Hannah Nimrick from Elmhurst College (Ill.), Erin Syversen from Millikin University (Ill.), Christina Wilson from Dominican University (Ill.), and Jordan Winkler from Edgewood College.
Illinois Wesleyan University's Tyler Brown was named Midwest Region Freshman of the Year, while her coach, Kim Nelson-Brown, was selected as the region's Coach of the Year.
UW-Oshkosh concluded the season with a 26-9 record. The Titans compiled a 6-1 WIAC record to share league's regular-season title with UW-La Crosse. The conference championship was the 12th for the Titans.
2015 AVCA NCAA Division III All-Midwest Region Women's Volleyball Team