Ball State University Athletics
WVB's Kelsey Brandl Named To All-MAC First Team
November 20, 2009 | Women's Volleyball
TOLEDO, Ohio - - Ball State women's volleyball sophomore middle blocker Kelsey Brandl (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North H.S.) has been named to the 2009 All-Mid-American Conference First Team as announced at Thursday night's MAC Tournament banquet. The MAC awards are voted on by the league's 12 head coaches.
"Kelsey has been a strong leader for our program and is truly deserving of this honor," said Ball State head coach Dave Boos. "She has been a dominate player throughout the conference season and earning All-MAC First Team honors shows the coaches around the league have a high level of respect for what she can do on the court. Kelsey is a very talented and driven individual. Her level of play is only going to progress as she gets more time to develop her skills."
Entering Friday's MAC Tournament quarterfinal match versus No. 1 seed Ohio, Brandl is ranked second in league with a .340 attack percentage. A transfer from the University of Cincinnati, Brandl saw limited action in the first third of the season as she learned the BSU system. Starting with an eight-kill and .667 (8-0-12) hitting performance at Indiana State (Sept. 12), Brandl has been a mainstay in the Cardinals' lineup.
Including that performance, Brandl has hit .500 or-above eight times this season, while collecting double-digit kills in 10 contests. Brandl, who has posted a 2.54 kills-per-set average this season, has also racked up a team-best 82 blocks for a team-leading 0.94 blocks-per-set average which ranks sixth in the MAC.
A two-time MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week since MAC play began, Brandl ended the conference season ranked second among all league players with a .366 attack percentage. Her 3.65 points-per-set average in league play had Brandl ranked ninth in the MAC, with her being the only middle blocker on the list. She also ranked seventh in MAC-only matches with a 0.93 blocks-per-set average.
Overall, Brandl picks up the 29th All-MAC First Team award in program history, and the 71st All-MAC honor in program annals. She is the first BSU player to earn All-MAC First Team accolades since 2006 when Amanda McCormick picked up the award.
Brandl and the Ball State women's volleyball team returns to action Friday afternoon, when the eighth-seeded Cardinals battle No. 1 seed Ohio in MAC Tournament quarterfinal action. The match is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. at the SeaGate Centre in Toledo, Ohio.
All-MAC First Team
Ellen Herman, Ohio
Meghan Simons, Ohio
Meagan Schoenrock, Northern Illinois
Allyson Doyle, Western Michigan
Sue Jacobi, Ohio
Arjula Prenga, Kent State
Jillian Mitchell, Western Michigan
Kelsey Brandl, Ball State
Andrea Atteberry, Miami
Lauren Krumpsky, Central Michigan
Michelle Jantsch, Ohio
Shari Luther, Bowling Green
All-MAC Second Team
Michele Metzler, Miami
Jessica Brown, Western Michinga
Liva Brivule, Kent State
Michelle Moore, Western Michigan
Brionna Patterson, Akron
Maddie Hughes, Northern Illinois
Hallie Hanks, Miami
Kassie Kadera, Toledo
Kaitlyn Schultz, Central Michigan
Megan Griffin, Miami
Amber DeWeerdt, Toledo
Allison McGlaughlin, Northern Illinois
All-MAC Freshman Team
Jessica Brown, Western Michigan
Sandra Payrs, Toledo
Rachel Iaquaniello, Eastern Michigan
Allison Kearney, Bowling Green
Meredith Paskert, Kent State
Tori Beckman, Buffalo
MAC Specialty Awards
Defensive Player of the Year - Maddie Hughes, Northern Illinois
Setter of the Year - Jillian Mitchell, Western Michigan
Freshman of the Year - Jessica Brown, Western Michigan
Player of the Year - Ellen Herman, Ohio
Coach of the Year - Ryan Theis, Ohio
