Jaeke Selected Midwest Region Freshman Of The Year

UW-Oshkosh right-side hitter Samantha Jaeke was named the NCAA Division III Midwest Region Freshman of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).

Jaeke was one of two Titans recognized by the AVCA, with the other being sophomore left-side hitter Tina Elstner. Elstner was among five players earning All-Midwest Region honorable mention accolades.

Jaeke and Elstner, who were both selected to this year's All-WIAC First Team, helped UW-Oshkosh to a 28-8 record and a share of its second straight league title. The Titans had their 2016 season end with Thursday's (Nov. 10) 3-2 loss to Bluffton College (Ohio) in the first round of the 64-team NCAA Division III Championship.

Jaeke, who became UW-Oshkosh's fifth Midwest Region Freshman of the Year and first since Aleisha Bagin in 2009, hit .243 with 331 kills, 131 digs, 111 blocks, 66 assists and 36 service aces. She ranks sixth in the Midwest Region in blocks while ranking second on the team in hitting percentage, kills, blocks, service aces and assists.

Jaeke tallied 14 kills and 16 digs for her lone double-double in UW-Oshkosh's five-set win over Birmingham-Southern College (Ala.) on Sept. 3. She produced 10 or more kills in 15 matches, including a season-best 16 against Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) on Oct. 14 and 15 against both St. Norbert College on Sept. 14 and UW-Stout on Oct. 29.

Elstner ranks eighth in the Midwest Region with 399 kills on .214 hitting and paces the Titans with 40 service aces. She counted 11 double-doubles this season while also listing second on the team with 373 digs and fourth with 73 blocks.

Elstner recorded at least 10 kills in 21 matches this season, including a career-high 21 against Birmingham-Southern College, 19 against Elmhurst College (Ill.) on Oct. 22 and 18 against Edgewood College on Sept. 6.

Elstner's career totals include 565 kills, 425 digs and 122 blocks in 67 matches and 216 sets played.

Named to the 14-member All-Midwest Region First Team were Cornell College's (Iowa) Diamond Boyd, Elmhurst College's Hannah Nimrick, Illinois Wesleyan University's Tyler Brown, Millikin University's (Ill.) Cassidy Kingery and Erin Syversen, UW-Eau Claire's Heather Sawchuk, UW-La Crosse's Stephanie Henk and Maddie Entinger, UW-Stevens Point's Kelly Cefalu and Bri Piepenbrok, and UW-Whitewater's Staci Hasler, Sydney Racky, Brittany Robinson and Courtney Wagner. UW-Whitewater's Stacy Boudreau was chosen as the region's Coach of the Year.

Joining Elstner on the six-member honorable mention team were Aurora University's (Ill.) Katie Vondra, Carthage College's Stephanie Korbakes, Cornell College's Katherine Devlin, Elmhurst College's Mary Lawrence and the University of Chicago's (Ill.) Sarah Muisenga.

2016 AVCA NCAA Division III All-Region Women's Volleyball Teams