Volleyball’s Seaman Named MAC Setter of the Year, Four Players Earn All-MAC Honors
November 14, 2018 | Women's Volleyball
CLEVELAND, Ohio - - The Ball State women's volleyball program was heavily rewarded for its run to the 2018 Mid-American Conference West Division Championship, with four players earning postseason honors as voted on by the league's 12 head coaches and announced by the MAC office Wednesday (Nov. 14).
Highlighting the list was junior setter Amber Seaman (Carmel, Ind./Brebeuf) who became the first player in program history to earn MAC Setter of the Year honors in the award's 12-year existence.
Seaman was also named to the All-MAC First Team along with senior outside attacker Ellie Dunn (Sugar Grove, Ill./Kaneland) and junior middle Sydnee VanBeek (St. John, Ill./Illiana Christian). In addition, redshirt senior middle Meg Starling (Hopkinsville, Ky./University Heights) was named to the All-MAC Second Team.
With the four All-MAC award winners, Ball State continues to rank second in MAC history with 99 total All-MAC selections and 49 total First Team All-MAC honorees.
A five-time MAC West Division Setter of the Week award winner this season, Seaman earned MAC Setter of the Year and All-MAC First Team honors after ranking second in league play with a 10.88 assists-per-set average. Under Seaman's guidance, the Cardinals' offense finished league play with the second-best attack percentage (.237) in the MAC. Seaman, a 2017 All-MAC Honorable Mention, also finished conference play with a league-leading 0.53 aces-per-set average, while recording 2.02 digs, 0.67 blocks and 0.82 kills per set.
"I am very happy for Amber for earning MAC Setter of the Year and First Team All-MAC," head coach Kelli Miller said. "She is constantly looking for ways to improve, not just herself, but our entire team. She's always studying film, getting extra reps, focusing on her preparation, communicating with teammates and that is what has allowed her to be successful this season. She is doing a great job leading our team to balanced offensive performances as well as bringing the heat from the service line. She is a big-time competitor and I'm excited to see where she leads us in the MAC Tournament."
Dunn earns All-MAC First Team honors for the first time in her career after leading the team and ranking third in MAC play in both kills (3.82) and points (4.34) per set. A three-time MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week in 2018, Dunn blasted double-digit kills in 13 of Ball State's 16 league matches, including 20 at Miami (Oct. 19). A 2017 All-MAC Honorable Mention, Dunn also averaged 2.72 digs and 0.65 blocks per set in league play this season.
"Ellie truly has elevated her game to the highest level this year and I love that she is being recognized for her hard work," Miller said. "She has worked really hard to be a true six-rotation outside attacker and that's exactly what our team needed. She's always hit with a ton of pace, but this year she's added a cerebral element to her offensive game that has made her a very tough attacker to defend. She has worked to become the best possible player she can be in her senior year and I'm excited to go into the MAC Tournament with Ellie on our side."
VanBeek earns All-MAC First Team honors for the first time in her career after leading all MAC players with a 1.28 blocks-per-set average in league play. A 2016 MAC All-Freshman Team honoree, VanBeek earned at least five blocks in seven conference matches. On offense, she averaged 2.89 kills per set in MAC play, including eight matches with double-digit kills. She also ranked seventh in MAC play in points per set (3.85) and 11th in attack percentage (.298).
"Sydnee has been a staple on our team both offensively and defensively and I'm excited for her to receive All-MAC recognition," Miller said. "She's someone we can always count on to compete and do whatever it takes to help us win the point. She never backs down from any opponent, and I know she will always give us her all. She has really worked hard to be a consistent offensive and blocking threat for us and her hard work is paying off."
Starling earns All-MAC Second Team honors for the first time in her career after ranking second in the MAC with a 1.24 blocks-per-set average in league play, including five-or-more blocks in six matches. On offense, Starling ranked fifth in the league with a .330 attack percentage, while also averaging 2.00 kills per set in MAC action. In addition, she smashed double-digit kills in three league matches.
"I am thrilled for Meg to receive this honor," Miller said. "She has developed so much during her time at Ball State and has become one of the top players in the MAC. She is a force offensively as she's increased her pace and location of attacks, but she's also one of the top blockers in the league with her physicality and quickness. When Meg is on, she is almost impossible to stop, and I'm so glad she's on our side of the net."
The Ball State women's volleyball team returns to action Friday, when it travels to Oxford, Ohio for the 2018 MAC Tournament hosted by Miami. By securing the No. 3 seed in the tournament, the Cardinals earned a first-round bye and will play the winner of No. 6 Northern Illinois vs. No. 7 Ohio in the 7 p.m. quarterfinal match Friday night.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State women's volleyball, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateWVB and @VBCoachMiller on Twitter.
- BallStateSports.com -
Highlighting the list was junior setter Amber Seaman (Carmel, Ind./Brebeuf) who became the first player in program history to earn MAC Setter of the Year honors in the award's 12-year existence.
Seaman was also named to the All-MAC First Team along with senior outside attacker Ellie Dunn (Sugar Grove, Ill./Kaneland) and junior middle Sydnee VanBeek (St. John, Ill./Illiana Christian). In addition, redshirt senior middle Meg Starling (Hopkinsville, Ky./University Heights) was named to the All-MAC Second Team.
With the four All-MAC award winners, Ball State continues to rank second in MAC history with 99 total All-MAC selections and 49 total First Team All-MAC honorees.
A five-time MAC West Division Setter of the Week award winner this season, Seaman earned MAC Setter of the Year and All-MAC First Team honors after ranking second in league play with a 10.88 assists-per-set average. Under Seaman's guidance, the Cardinals' offense finished league play with the second-best attack percentage (.237) in the MAC. Seaman, a 2017 All-MAC Honorable Mention, also finished conference play with a league-leading 0.53 aces-per-set average, while recording 2.02 digs, 0.67 blocks and 0.82 kills per set.
"I am very happy for Amber for earning MAC Setter of the Year and First Team All-MAC," head coach Kelli Miller said. "She is constantly looking for ways to improve, not just herself, but our entire team. She's always studying film, getting extra reps, focusing on her preparation, communicating with teammates and that is what has allowed her to be successful this season. She is doing a great job leading our team to balanced offensive performances as well as bringing the heat from the service line. She is a big-time competitor and I'm excited to see where she leads us in the MAC Tournament."
Dunn earns All-MAC First Team honors for the first time in her career after leading the team and ranking third in MAC play in both kills (3.82) and points (4.34) per set. A three-time MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week in 2018, Dunn blasted double-digit kills in 13 of Ball State's 16 league matches, including 20 at Miami (Oct. 19). A 2017 All-MAC Honorable Mention, Dunn also averaged 2.72 digs and 0.65 blocks per set in league play this season.
"Ellie truly has elevated her game to the highest level this year and I love that she is being recognized for her hard work," Miller said. "She has worked really hard to be a true six-rotation outside attacker and that's exactly what our team needed. She's always hit with a ton of pace, but this year she's added a cerebral element to her offensive game that has made her a very tough attacker to defend. She has worked to become the best possible player she can be in her senior year and I'm excited to go into the MAC Tournament with Ellie on our side."
VanBeek earns All-MAC First Team honors for the first time in her career after leading all MAC players with a 1.28 blocks-per-set average in league play. A 2016 MAC All-Freshman Team honoree, VanBeek earned at least five blocks in seven conference matches. On offense, she averaged 2.89 kills per set in MAC play, including eight matches with double-digit kills. She also ranked seventh in MAC play in points per set (3.85) and 11th in attack percentage (.298).
"Sydnee has been a staple on our team both offensively and defensively and I'm excited for her to receive All-MAC recognition," Miller said. "She's someone we can always count on to compete and do whatever it takes to help us win the point. She never backs down from any opponent, and I know she will always give us her all. She has really worked hard to be a consistent offensive and blocking threat for us and her hard work is paying off."
Starling earns All-MAC Second Team honors for the first time in her career after ranking second in the MAC with a 1.24 blocks-per-set average in league play, including five-or-more blocks in six matches. On offense, Starling ranked fifth in the league with a .330 attack percentage, while also averaging 2.00 kills per set in MAC action. In addition, she smashed double-digit kills in three league matches.
"I am thrilled for Meg to receive this honor," Miller said. "She has developed so much during her time at Ball State and has become one of the top players in the MAC. She is a force offensively as she's increased her pace and location of attacks, but she's also one of the top blockers in the league with her physicality and quickness. When Meg is on, she is almost impossible to stop, and I'm so glad she's on our side of the net."
The Ball State women's volleyball team returns to action Friday, when it travels to Oxford, Ohio for the 2018 MAC Tournament hosted by Miami. By securing the No. 3 seed in the tournament, the Cardinals earned a first-round bye and will play the winner of No. 6 Northern Illinois vs. No. 7 Ohio in the 7 p.m. quarterfinal match Friday night.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State women's volleyball, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateWVB and @VBCoachMiller on Twitter.
- BallStateSports.com -
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