EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - UW-Eau Claire head women's volleyball coach Kim Wudi recently announced team awards at the team's year-end banquet.
Named the team's MVP was Kelly Schuh (Sr.-Appleton, Wis./Hortonville) while she also earned Offensive MVP honors and shared the Blugold Award. Playing in all 36 matches and a total of 120 sets this season, Schuh led the Blugolds and WIAC in kills with 436 total, 3.63 per set. She was third on the team and eighth in the conference with 0.31 service aces per set for a total of 37, and was second on the team and 14th in the conference with 3.01 digs per set for a total of 361. In her career, she had 3,270 total attack attempts, fourth most in school history, while she had 1,126 kills, ninth most in school history. She was named to the AVCA All-Region and All-WIAC teams this season and was also named to the 2013 Capital One NCAA Division III Academic All-District Six Women's Volleyball First Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Last season, Schuh received the Coaches Award.
For the third year in a row, Defensive MVP honors went to Lauren Sutherland (Sr.-Dayton, Minn./Meadow Creek Christian), who also earned the Blugold Award with Schuh. Sutherland, who played in all 36 matches with a team-high 121 sets, led the Blugolds with 635 digs (5.25 per set), which ranked second best in the WIAC. She was also second on the team this season with 39 service aces (0.32 per set), fifth best in the conference. In her career, she had 1,769 digs, third most in school history. Sutherland was named to the All-WIAC and WIAC All-Defensive teams this season. In 2010, Sutherland earned team most improved honors.
This season's top newcomer was Katrina Raskie (Fr.-Weston, Wis./D.C. Everest). Playing in 117 sets and all 36 matches this season, Raskie was second on the team and 17th in the WIAC averaging 2.36 kills per set with a total of 276. She was also third on the team with 54 total blocks and 284 digs.
Keagan Kinsella (Fr.-Chanhassen, Minn.) earned the Most Improved Player award. Kinsella played in 95 sets and 31 matches this season and had 193 kills, fourth most on the team. She led the Blugolds with a .252 hitting percentage, ninth best in the WIAC. She also had 76 total blocks which was fourth best on the team and 10th in the conference.
Receiving the Coaches Award were Alexis Wong (Jr.-Maple Grove, Minn.) and Maggie Holcombe (Fr.-Shakopee, Minn.).
Wong led the Blugolds and was third in the conference, averaging 0.36 service aces per set (40 total). She was also second on the team and 20th in the WIAC with a .210 hitting percentage (207 kills, 80 errors, 606 attempts), playing in 111 sets and 33 matches this year. Wong was previously named the team Newcomer of the Year in 2011.
Holcombe led the Blugolds and was seventh in the conference in setting with 7.15 assists per set. She finished the season with 736 set assists, playing 33 matches and 103 sets. Holcombe also had 16 service aces, fifth most on the team, and 18 total blocks.
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