Ball State University Athletics
Women's Volleyball Racks Up MAC Awards
November 19, 2010 | Women's Volleyball
TOLEDO, Ohio - - The 2010 Mid-American Conference regular-season champions were heavily rewarded for their success, picking up seven awards at the annual MAC Tournament banquet Thursday evening. The awards were voted on by the league's 12 head coaches.
After guiding the Cardinals to a 24-4 (14-2 MAC) record and the program's first league title since the 2002 season, first-year head coach Steve Shondell was named the Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year. Shondell is the second coach in program history to earn the league's top coaching honor, joining five-time honoree Randy Litchfield (1991, 1993, 1994, 1999 and 2002).
Senior libero Alyssa Rio (Wayne, Ill./St. Francis H.S.) picked up the program's second MAC Defensive Player of the Year award, joining 2006 award winner Amanda McCormick. Rio also earned All-MAC First Team accolades for the first time in her career after entering the MAC Tournament as the national leader with a 5.88 digs-per-set average. Rio also became just the eighth player in league history to collected 2,000 career digs, entering Friday's MAC Tournament Quarterfinal match with 2,073
Joining Rio on the All-MAC First Team is junior middle blocker Kelsey Brandl (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North H.S.) who picks up the honor for the second straight season. Brandl leads the team in kills per set (3.21), hitting percentage (.349), blocks per set (0.86) and service aces (30). Brandl is the first Ball State player to repeat as an All-MAC First Team honoree since Sarah Obras (2002, 2003 and 2004), and is the seventh player in program history to earn the honor more than once.
After guiding the Cardinals to a .224 team hitting percentage this season, junior setter Brittany McGinnis (Fraser, Mich./Fraser H.S.) earned recognition on the All-MAC Second Team. McGinnis, who ranks fifth in program history with 3,314 career assists, also leads the Cardinals with eight double-doubles this season.
Also earning recognition on the All-MAC Second team, as well as the MAC All-Freshman squad, is freshman outside hitter Whitney Heeres (Flushing, Mich./Flushing Senior H.S.). Heeres ranks second on the team with a 3.09 kills-per-set average, including a team-high 3.36 average in MAC play.
Following the individual award ceremony, the Cardinals were honored with the 2010 Mid-American Conference West Division and Overall Championship trophies.
This is the first time since the 2002 season Ball State has placed two players on the All-MAC First Team. BSU's seven total awards tie with the 1998 squad as the most in a single season in program history.
