WVB’s Goodsel Earns First Team All-MAC, Two Players Earn MAC All-Freshman Honors
November 16, 2016 | Women's Volleyball
With Goodsel being honored as an All-MAC First Team selection, the Cardinals continue to rank second in MAC history with 92 total All-MAC selections and 45 total First Team All-MAC honorees.
Ball State's two first-year players honored by the league were freshman libero Kate Avila (Yorktown, Ind./Yorktown) and freshman middle Sydnee VanBeek (St. John, Ind./Illiana Christian). With the two honorees, the Cardinals have now had 14 different players earn MAC All-Freshman accolades.
Goodsel led the Ball State offense and ranked seventh in the MAC with a 3.19 kills-per-set average in league play. She produced double-digit kills in 11 of Ball State's 16 conference matches, including a career-high 21 kills at Toledo (Sept. 29) and 20 kills versus Central Michigan (Sept. 23). She hit .250-or-better seven times in conference play, including a .409 (11-2-22) effort at Bowling Green (Oct. 21).
Goodsel also secured six kill/dig double-doubles in MAC play, while earning double-digit digs in nine conference matches. She collected a career-high 19 digs versus Kent State (Oct. 14), while scoring 16 at Western Michigan (Oct. 8). Goodsel also tied for third on the team with 26 total blocks in MAC play, including four total blocks versus Central Michigan (Sept. 23) and at Toledo (Nov. 3). Her nine aces in MAC play tied for second on the team.
"Brooklyn has been a key component to our success," first-year head coach Kelli Miller said. "She is so versatile and allows us to use her in a variety of ways not only on offense, but in the backcourt as well. She can run first or second tempo and hit anywhere along the net. She also has a knack for the ball on defense and comes up with big digs when we need it. She definitely deserves this honor."
Avila led the Ball State defense and ranked 10th in the MAC with a 4.35 digs-per-set average in league play. In addition, her 287 total digs in MAC play ranked sixth among conference defenders. She recorded double-digit digs in all 16 MAC matches, including 20-or-more on five occasions and a MAC season-high 31 digs in a near upset of MAC Co-Champion Northern Illinois (Nov. 12). She also led Ball State's primary passers with a .968 (361-for-373) reception percentage in league play.
"Kate has been a rock for our team in the backcourt," Miller said. "She makes play after play on defense and is one of the best serve receive passers in the league. She works extremely hard and is going to keep getting better and better."
VanBeek has smashed double-digit kills in each of Ball State's final three conference matches, including a career-high 13 kills in a win over Western Michigan (Nov. 11). Named the MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week on Nov. 7, she hit a career-best .538 (8-1-13) at Toledo (Nov. 3), while hitting .400-or-better in six MAC matches. VanBeek led the Ball State defense with 42 total blocks in MAC play for a 0.82 blocks-per-set average. She registered a career-high six total blocks in the sweep at Bowling Green (Oct. 21) and in the regular season finale versus Northern Illinois (Nov. 12). VanBeek also served up a team-best 11 aces in conference play, including a career-high three aces at MAC Co-Champion Miami (Oct. 22).
The Ball State women's volleyball team returns to action Thursday as the No. 5 seed in the 2016 MAC Tournament hosted by Northern Illinois. The Cardinals are set to battle No. 8 seed Western Michigan in the 6 p.m. (ET) / 5 p.m. (CT) first-round match. The winner advances to face No. 4 seed Bowling Green Friday in another 6 p.m. (ET) / 5 p.m. (CT) first serve.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State women's volleyball, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateWVB and @VBCoachMiller on Twitter.
2016 MAC Volleyball Player of the Year
Jenna Radtke, Northern Illinois, MB
2016 MAC Volleyball Setter of the Year
Isabelle Marciniak, Bowling Green, Setter
2016 MAC Volleyball Freshman of the Year
Isabelle Marciniak, Bowling Green, Setter
2016 MAC Defensive Player of the Year
Madeline Garda, Bowling Green, Libero
2016 MAC Volleyball All-MAC First Team (14 Members)
Brooklyn Goodsel, Ball State, RS
Jordan Bueter, Central Michigan, OH
Madeline Garda, Bowling Green, Libero
Jelena Sunjic, Bowling Green, Opposite
Cassie Shado, Buffalo, Middle Blocker
Kelsey Bittinger, Kent State, OH
Challen Geraghty, Kent State, L/DS
Paige Hill, Miami, Middle
Katie Tomasic, Miami, Opposite
Mary Grace Kelly, Northern Illinois, OH
Jenna Radtke, Northern Illinois, MB
Ali Lake, Ohio, MB
Mallory Salis, Ohio, OH/L
Sydney LeMay, Western Michigan, MB
2016 MAC Volleyball All-MAC Honorable Mention (6 Members)
Maeve McDonald, Miami, Libero
Maris Below, Miami, OH
Jamie Kosiorek, Ohio, OH
Meg Wolowicz, Northern Illinois, MB
Lauren Zielinski, Northern Illinois, OP
Maurissa Leonard, Toledo, Libero
2016 MAC Volleyball All-Freshman Team (6 Members)
Elya Karsner, Akron, Left Side Hitter
Kate Avila, Ball State, Libero
Sydnee VanBeek, Ball State, MH
Isabelle Marciniak, Bowling Green, Setter
Scout McLerran, Buffalo, Setter
Kathleen Reilly, Western Michigan, Libero
- BallStateSports.com -
