Holder & Gilliland Earn All-MAC Honors
March 31, 2021 | Women's Volleyball
CLEVELAND, Ohio - - For their roles in guiding the Ball State women's volleyball team during this unprecedented season, senior outside attacker Kia Holder has been named to the 2020-21 All-MAC First Team, while freshman middle Lauren Gilliland has been named to the 2020-21 MAC All-Freshman Team.
Holder was Ball State's inspirational leader on and off the court during the 2020-21 season, playing in every set for the Cardinals this season. She was the team's top offensive threat, pacing the squad with a 3.51 kills-per-set average. She also ranked ninth in the MAC at 4.00 points per set, and led the team in kills 14 times and in points 12 times this season.
"Kia finished her career playing her best volleyball," head coach Kelli Miller Phillips said. "She was one of the most physical attacking lefts in the MAC, as well as a shutdown blocker. Kia carried a very heavy load for our team this year, and I am extremely proud of her."
Holder smashed double-digit kills in 15 matches, more than doubling her career total entering the season. She has also continued to develop her all-around game with career-highs for both digs (60) and blocks (63) in a season.
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Gilliland made her presence felt in the MAC from her very first match, tallying nine total blocks in the season-opening win over Akron. She followed with seven the next night and never looked back, finishing her freshman season ranked second in the MAC with a 1.18 blocks-per-set average.
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"Lauren was a huge presence for us this season," Phillips said. "She really developed as a blocker and became one of the top blockers in the conference as a freshman which led us to be the top blocking team in the MAC. She's very competitive and one of the hardest workers in our gym, so I'm not surprised she received this honor. I can't wait to see what the future holds for Lauren."
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Led by Gilliland's average, which also ranked 65th nationally, the Cardinals led the league and ranked 38th among the 306 NCAA Division I programs at 2.49 blocks per set. In addition, Gilliland's 94 total blocks (10 solo and 84 assists) ranked 13th nationally, while Ball State's 199.5 total blocks as a team were seventh in the country.
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She also made an impact on offense, averaging 1.24 kills per set and hitting for a .248 rate of success. She scored at least five kills in 11 matches, including a career-high nine in the sweep of Miami (March 16).
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Gilliland is the 18th player in program history to be named to the MAC All-Freshman Team, and the sixth since Phillips was named the head coach.
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The Ball State women's volleyball team closed an unconventional 2020-21 spring season last Saturday (March 27) with a 9-12 overall record.
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2020-21 MAC Coach of the Year
Danijela Tomic, Bowling Green
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2020-21 MAC Player of the Year
Rachel Bontrager, Western Michigan
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2020-21 MAC Defensive Player of the Year
Taylor Sharrits, Akron
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2020-21 MAC Co-Setters of the Year
Hanna Laube, Bowling Green & Logan Case, Western Michigan
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2020-21 MAC Freshman of the Year
Logan Case, Western Michigan
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2020-21 All-MAC First Team (14 members)*
Kia Holder, Ball State
Petra Indrova, Bowling Green
Hanna Laube, Bowling Green
Katelyn Meyer, Bowling Green
Lisbeth Rosario-Martinez, Central Michigan
Savannah Thompson, Central Michigan
Franki Strefling, Eastern Michigan
Sarah Wojick, Miami
Vera Giacomazzi, Ohio
Tia Jimerson, Ohio
Taylor Alt, Toledo
Rachel Bontrager, Western Michigan
Logan Case, Western Michigan
Maggie King, Western Michigan
2020-21 All-MAC Second Team (7 members)*
Taylor Sharrits, Akron
Katie Kidwell, Bowling Green
Milla Malik, Buffalo
Alex Haffner, Kent State
Savannah Matthews, Kent State
Avarie Powell, Miami
Lauren Park, Ohio
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2020-21 All-Freshman Team (6 members)Â
Lauren Gilliland, Ball State
Milla Milak, Buffalo
Caitlin O'Farrell, Ohio
Sam Steele, Ohio
Taylor Alt, Toledo
Logan Case, Western Michigan
* - The 2020-21 All-MAC First Team was originally released with six players, while the 2020-21 All-MAC Second Team was originally released with seven players. In a post-tournament conference call, the MAC's 12 head coaches determined it would be appropriate to re-release the teams with numbers mirroring the past few seasons. Therefore, the top 14 players in All-MAC voting were named to the All-MAC First Team, while the next seven were named to the All-MAC Second Team. This advanced all of the original All-MAC Second Team members to the First Team, while Ball State senior Kia Holder was added to complete the First Team at 14 players.
Holder was Ball State's inspirational leader on and off the court during the 2020-21 season, playing in every set for the Cardinals this season. She was the team's top offensive threat, pacing the squad with a 3.51 kills-per-set average. She also ranked ninth in the MAC at 4.00 points per set, and led the team in kills 14 times and in points 12 times this season.
"Kia finished her career playing her best volleyball," head coach Kelli Miller Phillips said. "She was one of the most physical attacking lefts in the MAC, as well as a shutdown blocker. Kia carried a very heavy load for our team this year, and I am extremely proud of her."
Holder smashed double-digit kills in 15 matches, more than doubling her career total entering the season. She has also continued to develop her all-around game with career-highs for both digs (60) and blocks (63) in a season.
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Gilliland made her presence felt in the MAC from her very first match, tallying nine total blocks in the season-opening win over Akron. She followed with seven the next night and never looked back, finishing her freshman season ranked second in the MAC with a 1.18 blocks-per-set average.
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"Lauren was a huge presence for us this season," Phillips said. "She really developed as a blocker and became one of the top blockers in the conference as a freshman which led us to be the top blocking team in the MAC. She's very competitive and one of the hardest workers in our gym, so I'm not surprised she received this honor. I can't wait to see what the future holds for Lauren."
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Led by Gilliland's average, which also ranked 65th nationally, the Cardinals led the league and ranked 38th among the 306 NCAA Division I programs at 2.49 blocks per set. In addition, Gilliland's 94 total blocks (10 solo and 84 assists) ranked 13th nationally, while Ball State's 199.5 total blocks as a team were seventh in the country.
Gilliland scored at least one block in 20 matches, with five-or-more nine times. Her nine blocks versus Akron (Jan. 22), and later against Kent State (March 12), tied as the fifth-best single match total in the MAC this season.How does leading the @MACSports in blocks after your first four collegiate matches sound?
— Ball State Sports (@BallStateSports) February 4, 2021
We see you @10laureng!#ChirpChirp pic.twitter.com/cEYio6cMqC
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She also made an impact on offense, averaging 1.24 kills per set and hitting for a .248 rate of success. She scored at least five kills in 11 matches, including a career-high nine in the sweep of Miami (March 16).
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Gilliland is the 18th player in program history to be named to the MAC All-Freshman Team, and the sixth since Phillips was named the head coach.
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The Ball State women's volleyball team closed an unconventional 2020-21 spring season last Saturday (March 27) with a 9-12 overall record.
Â
2020-21 MAC Coach of the Year
Danijela Tomic, Bowling Green
Â
2020-21 MAC Player of the Year
Rachel Bontrager, Western Michigan
Â
2020-21 MAC Defensive Player of the Year
Taylor Sharrits, Akron
Â
2020-21 MAC Co-Setters of the Year
Hanna Laube, Bowling Green & Logan Case, Western Michigan
Â
2020-21 MAC Freshman of the Year
Logan Case, Western Michigan
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2020-21 All-MAC First Team (14 members)*
Kia Holder, Ball State
Petra Indrova, Bowling Green
Hanna Laube, Bowling Green
Katelyn Meyer, Bowling Green
Lisbeth Rosario-Martinez, Central Michigan
Savannah Thompson, Central Michigan
Franki Strefling, Eastern Michigan
Sarah Wojick, Miami
Vera Giacomazzi, Ohio
Tia Jimerson, Ohio
Taylor Alt, Toledo
Rachel Bontrager, Western Michigan
Logan Case, Western Michigan
Maggie King, Western Michigan
2020-21 All-MAC Second Team (7 members)*
Taylor Sharrits, Akron
Katie Kidwell, Bowling Green
Milla Malik, Buffalo
Alex Haffner, Kent State
Savannah Matthews, Kent State
Avarie Powell, Miami
Lauren Park, Ohio
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2020-21 All-Freshman Team (6 members)Â
Lauren Gilliland, Ball State
Milla Milak, Buffalo
Caitlin O'Farrell, Ohio
Sam Steele, Ohio
Taylor Alt, Toledo
Logan Case, Western Michigan
* - The 2020-21 All-MAC First Team was originally released with six players, while the 2020-21 All-MAC Second Team was originally released with seven players. In a post-tournament conference call, the MAC's 12 head coaches determined it would be appropriate to re-release the teams with numbers mirroring the past few seasons. Therefore, the top 14 players in All-MAC voting were named to the All-MAC First Team, while the next seven were named to the All-MAC Second Team. This advanced all of the original All-MAC Second Team members to the First Team, while Ball State senior Kia Holder was added to complete the First Team at 14 players.
Players Mentioned
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