Emily Monson's (SO/Cheney, Kan.) selection as the Kansas Conference Volleyball Defensive Player of the Year highlights the Kansas Wesleyan selections to the All-KCAC Team as selected by conference coaches and announced by the conference office.
Monson, and Maddy Beckett (SO/Halstead, Kan.) were selected to the All-KCAC first-team, while Morgan Bryand (SO/Wichita, Kan.) and Elizabeth Hardacre (SO/Kensington, Kan.) were second-team selections. Cortney Hanna (SO/Lawrence, Kan.) received third-team honors.
Monson had a monster season at the libero position for the Coyotes. She led the KCAC in total digs and digs per set, totaling 804 on the season in 123 sets, averaging 6.5 digs per set. She set a new KWU school record for digs per set and a new total digs record as well. She broke the digs per set record of 6.34 set by Crystal Meadows in 2001 and bettered Haley Thompson's 781 digs from 2015. She also set a new record for digs in a match with 47 at Sterling on October 16. Monson finished the season ranked No. 5 in the NAIA in digs per set. She was also named KCAC Defender of the Week eight times during the season.
Beckett finished the season ranked second in the KCAC in kills per set, averaging 4.2. She led the KCAC in total kills with 519. She becomes only the fourth KWU player to break the 500 kill plateau in a single season since rally scoring started in 2001. Her kills per set average ranks No. 5 all-time in KWU history. She notched a career high 28 kills on March 20 against Oklahoma Wesleyan, which ties for fifth best all-time in a single match. She ranks No. 2 in the NAIA in total kills and No. 9 in kills per set.
Bryand was another part of Wesleyan's potent hitting attack. She averaged 2.8 kills per set on the season, which ranked No. 12 in the KCAC. She also had a .224 attack percentage, which ranked No. 14 in the conference. She twice had a season-best 16 kills against Saint Mary (Kan.) on March 24 and Saint Mary (Neb.) on September 5. She was also an adept server, notching four aces twice in matches, and had 39 service aces on the season. She ranks No. 20 in the NAIA in total kills with 342, and No. 27 in service aces.
Hardacre was a strong component up front for the Coyotes. The middle blocker averaged just under a block per set for the Coyotes with 118 total blocks in 123 sets played. She had a total of 10 blocks against Saint Mary (Neb.) on September 5 and twice more had six against Oklahoma Wesleyan and Sterling. She also had a season high 15 kills against Ottawa in October.
Hanna was the captain of the offense for the Coyotes. Serving as the primary setter in KWU's 6-2 offense, Hanna averaged 6.7 assists per set, the best among any 6-2 setters in the conference. She ranked sixth in the KCAC in assists per set. Hanna's 831 assists on the season ranks ninth in KWU history. It also ranks No. 21 in the NAIA in total assists.
Kansas Wesleyan finished the season 20-13 overall and 16-8 in the KCAC. The Coyotes were the No. 4 seed in the KCAC Tournament and reached the quarterfinal round of the postseason tournament.
--kwucoyotes.com--