The Big Ten released its postseason volleyball honors on Tuesday and the Huskers were well represented.
Coach John Cook was named Coach of the Year after guiding the Huskers to a 27-2 record and Nebraska’s first Big Ten title since 2011. The Huskers spent 12-of-15 weeks atop the AVCA Coaches Poll this season and was chosen as the No. 1 national seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Senior libero Justine Wong-Orantes repeated as Defensive Player of the Year after orchestrating the top defense in the Big Ten. Wong-Orantes is Nebraska’s single-game and career digs record holder and surpassed 1,800 career digs this season. Wong-Orantes averaged 4.14 digs per set and helped the Huskers hold opponents to .141 hitting, by far the best in the conference.
Four Huskers, including Wong-Orantes, were named to the All-Big Ten team. Wong-Orantes – who was not named to the All-Big Ten team last year despite earning defensive player of the year honors – was a unanimous selection, as was senior outside Hitter Kadie Rolfzen. Senior middle blocker Amber Rolfzen and junior setter Kelly Hunter also made the team. Kadie Rolfzen was named to the All-Big Ten team in each of her four seasons as a Husker, while this is the second straight selection for Amber Rolfzen.
Sophomore outside hitter Mikaela Foecke and junior middle blocker Briana Holman were named to the honorable mention list.
Minnesota outside hitter Sarah Wilhite was named Big Ten Player of the Year, while Minnesota setter Samantha Seliger-Swenson took home Setter of the Year honors. Wisconsin outside hitter Molly Haggerty was tabbed Freshman of the year.
ALL-BIG TEN
Ali Bastianelli, So., MB, ILL
Jordyn Poulter, So., S, ILL
ABBY COLE, Sr., MB, MICH
Alyssa Garvelink, Jr., MB, MSU
SARAH WILHITE, Sr., OH MINN
SAMANTHA SELIGER-SWENSON, So., S, MINN
Hannah Tapp, Sr., MB, MINN
Kelly Hunter, Jr., S, NEB
Amber Rolfzen, Sr., MB, NEB
KADIE ROLFZEN, Sr., OH, NEB
JUSTINE WONG-ORANTES, Sr., L, NEB
TAYLOR SANDBOTHE, Sr., MB, OSU
SIMONE LEE, Jr., OH, PSU
HALEIGH WASHINGTON, Jr., MB, PSU
DANIELLE CUTTINO, Jr., OH, PUR
LAUREN CARLINI, Sr., S, WIS
Haleigh Nelson, Sr., MB WIS
Tionna Williams, So., MB, WIS
HONORABLE MENTION
Brandi Donnelly, Jr., L, ILL
Jazzmine McDonald, Sr., MB, IND
Loxley Keala, Sr., S, IOWA
Gia Milana, Fr., OH, MD
MacKenzi Welsh, Fr., S, MICH
Autumn Bailey, Jr., OH, MSU
Rachel Minarick, Jr., S, MSU
Molly Lohman, Jr., MB, MINN
Mikaela Foecke, So., OH, NEB
Briana Holman, Jr., MB, NEB
Symone Abbott, Jr., OH, NU
Taylor Hughes, So., S, OSU
Faye Adelaja, Sr., MB, PUR
Molly Haggerty, Fr., OH, WIS
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Jacqueline Quade, OH, ILL
GIA MILANA, OH, MD
MacKenzi Welsh, S, MICH
Alexis Hart, OH, MINN
Tori Gorrell, MB, PSU
Kendall White, L, PSU
MOLLY HAGGERTY, OH, WIS
(Unanimous selections in CAPS)
Jacob Padilla has been writing for Hail Varsity since 2015. He covers football, volleyball men’s basketball and prep sports. He also co-hosts the Nebraska Preps Postgame and Nebraska Shootaround podcasts for the Hurrdat Media and Hail Varsity podcast networks. His love of basketball can best be described as an obsession and if you need to find him, he’s probably in a gym somewhere watching, coaching or playing hoops.
