Lauren Gilliland

Lauren Gilliland - 2020-21 MAC All-Freshman Team

Photo by: Michael Hickey

Photo by: Ball State University

Photo by: Samantha Blankenship (Ball State Creative Services)

Position:
Middle Blocker
Height:
6-1
Class:
Junior
High School:
Coldwater
Hometown:
Coldwater, Ohio

Career Notes Entering 2023 Season:
• Played in all 88 matches over her career
• Saw action in 328 of a possible 335 sets over her career
• 2021 & 2022 CoSIDA Academic All-District
• 2020-21 MAC All-Freshman Team
• 2021 & 2022 Academic All-MAC
• MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 3, 2022)
• Registered a career-high 17 kills versus Oklahoma (Sept. 2, 2022)
• Credited with a career-high nine blocks against Akron (Jan. 21, 2021) and tied the mark versus Kent State (March 12, 2021), at South Florida (Aug. 26, 2022) and at NIU (Oct. 15, 2022)
• Scored double-digit kills in 16 career matches

2022 (Jr.): Earned third letter at Ball State … CoSIDA Academic All-District ... Academic All-MAC ... MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 3) ... started all 33 matches, seeing action in 120 of a possible 126 sets ... smashed a career-high 17 kills in a win over Oklahoma (Sept. 2), one of six matches in double figures on the year ... recorded at least two kills in all 33 matches, with six-or-more on 27 occasions ... ranked second among Ball State's regulars with a .303 attack percentage, including hitting at least .300 in a match with at least 10 attempts a total of 17 times ... hit a season-best .533 (17-1-30) in the victory over the Sooners ... tied her career high with nine total blocks at South Florida (Aug. 26) and at NIU (Oct. 15), with three solo blocks in each contest ... credited with at least one block in 29 matches, with five-or-more on six occasions ... tallied a career-best six digs at NIU (Oct. 14) ... finished the season with 38 total digs ... served up her lone ace of the season versus William & Mary (Aug. 27) ... named to the Stacey Clark Classic and LUV Invitational all-tournament teams.

2021 (So.): Earned second letter at Ball State … CoSIDA Academic All-District 5 First Team … Academic All-MAC … started all 34 matches, seeing action in 128 of a possible 129 sets … led the MAC and ranked 49th nationally with a .364 attack percentage … hit at least .500 in a match with at least 10 attempts a total of 11 times, including a career-best .818 (9-0-11) hitting mark at Western Michigan (Oct. 23) ... smashed double-digit kills in 10 matches, including a season-high 13 versus Northern Kentucky (Sept. 17) and Ohio (Sept. 30) … earned at least two kills in 33 of the 34 matches she played ... ranked second on the team and third in the MAC with 107 total blocks for a 0.84 blocks-per-set average … led the team in blocking in 17 matches, including a season-high seven at Kent State (Sept. 24) … credited with at least one block in 30 matches, with five-or-more on 11 occasions … served up her first five career aces, with two each at Green Bay (Aug. 27) and vs. North Dakota State (Aug. 28) … added eight assists and 35 digs on the year ... tallied a season-high four digs at Eastern Michigan (Nov. 12).

2020-21 (Fr.): Earned first letter at Ball State … MAC All-Freshman Team … started all 21 matches for Ball State, while playing in all 80 sets … led the squad and ranked second in the MAC with a 1.18 blocks-per-set average … the average also ranked 66th among all NCAA Division I players … credited with 10 solo blocks and 84 block assists on the year … registered a career-high nine blocks (nine assists) in the season-opening sweep over Akron (Jan. 22) … tied her career high with nine total blocks (one solo and eight assists) in the series finale versus Kent State (March 12) … recorded at least one block in 20 matches, with five-or-more on nine occasions … ranked second among Ball State’s primary attackers with a .248 attack percentage … hit a career-best .583 (8-1-12) at Ohio (March 5), while hitting .300-or-better in nine matches … scored 99 kills on the season, including a season-best nine in the sweep of Miami (March 16) … scored at least one kill in all 21 matches, with five-or-more on 11 occasions … collected 19 digs over the course of the season, including a season-high three in the series opener at Kent State (March 11).

MILLER PHILLIPS ON GILLILAND: Lauren is a great all-around athlete that just continues to get more and more dominate each year. She has great lateral quickness, jumps effortlessly and has a quick arm. As a multi-sport high school athlete, Lauren has been able to use the skills, mental toughness and athleticism she's learned in other sports to translate into being a great middle blocker and attacker. She is great off one foot behind the setter and is physical at the net when blocking. She's one of those people who I always enjoy watching because of her competitive spirit and gritty work ethic.

HIGH SCHOOL: A four-year letterwinner in volleyball for coach Nikki Etzler at Coldwater, Gilliland smashed a team-high 438 kills and hit .410 to help guide the Cavaliers to a 20-6 record as a senior … she also collected 76 total blocks, including 29 solo blocks, while serving up 55 aces on her way to earning AVCA High School All-Region 5 Team and All-American Honorable Mention honors her final season … a four-time first team All-Mid-West Athletic Conference honoree, she was named first team all-state and the MAC Player of the Year as both a junior and a senior … helped guide Coldwater to an 88-20 record over her career … three-time all-district and the Division 3 District 8 Player of the Year as a senior … smashed 381 kills and hit .356 as a junior … helped guide the Cavaliers to a state runner-up finish as a sophomore … finished her career with 1,275 kills, a .383 attack percentage, 403 total blocks, 145 solo blocks and 95 aces … Also earned four letters in basketball and one in track … two-time first team all-MAC in basketball.

CLUB: Gilliland has played three seasons for the Munciana Volleyball Club.

WHY BALL STATE: I chose Ball State University because it simply stood out to me in many different ways. When I was young, I remember coming to visit my brothers at Ball State and watching volleyball games. I would sit in the stands just dreaming of playing in the arena for those coaches someday. Ball State is such a beautiful campus, filled with great coaches and people which made the decision that much easier.

NOTE: Her brother Greg Gilliland was a member of the Ball State football program for three seasons (2015-17), serving as the team's long snapper on punts in 10 games in 2017 … Her cousin Keith Wenning played four seasons (2010-13) for the Ball State football team and owns the program records for career touchdown passes (91), passing yards (11,187), pass completions (1,012) and pass attempts (1,598) … the first quarterback in program history to pass for 10,000-or-more career yards, Wenning also owns the program records for games with 300-or-more passing yards (16), games with 400-or-more passing yards (3) and touchdown passes in a game with six versus Miami in 2013.