Berkley Whaley Named D2CCA National Player of the Year as All-American Teams Announced
WAYNE, Neb. - Berkley Whaley became the second player in the last four years from the University of Tampa to earn Ron Lenz National Player of the Year honors as the senior outside hitter from St. Petersburg, Fla., highlights the 2015 Division II Conference Com- missioners Association All-America Volleyball Team announced today. Voting for the award was conducted by NCAA Division II members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA).
Whaley joins Spartan teammate and middle hitter Jessica Wagner as the lone repeat selections to this year's All-American First Team. Four of the seven First Team All-Americans hail from the Central Region.
Whaley concluded her Tampa career as a three time All-American, receiving Second Team honors as a sophomore to go with First Team the last two seasons. The St. Petersburg, Florida native averaged 4.11 kills and 3.12 digs per set this year and closed her Spartan career with 1,350 kills. Whaley joins Danielle Selkridge in 2012 as the other Tampa player to receive National Player of the Year honors.
Wagner is a repeat First Team All-American honoree after a standout junior season, ranking fourth in NCAA Division II with a .420 attack percentage while averaging 2.92 kills and 1.06 blocks for the 27-6 Spartans and a #3 national ranking to close the regular season.
They include outside hitter Mariah Scharf of Minnesota Duluth, middle hitter Riley Hanson from Concordia-St. Paul, setter Drew Smith of Northern State and libero Annie Reilly from Central Missouri. Rounding out this year's All-American First Team group is outside hitter Hailey Roberts from Tarleton State.
Scharf led the Northern Sun Conference and ranked fifth in NCAA Division II in kills per set this season at 4.72 for Minnesota Duluth from her outside hitter position. She was a Third Team All-American for the Bulldogs one year ago.
Roberts becomes the first player in Tarleton State history to receive First Team All- American honors. The 6-0 sophomore from Cedar Park, Texas led NCAA Division II in kills per set (5.69) and points per set (6.57) while also accounting for 3.12 digs, powering Tarleton State to a 27-7 record and their first Lone Star Conference title.
Hanson, a 5-11 junior middle blocker, set a single season school record at Concordia- St. Paul for attack percentage this season at .414 to rank sixth in NCAA Division II. She also produced 3.17 kills and 0.90 blocks per set for the top-ranked Golden Bears this season. Hanson was a Second Team All-American honoree one year ago.
Smith led NCAA Division II in assists per set this season (13.13), helping Northern State tie a school record with 25 wins this season. The senior from Ames, Iowa was the Northern Sun Conference Setter of the Year and finished her career with a school record 4,774 as- sists. Smith helped the Wolves to a 25-4 record this season and a #6 ranking to end the regular season.
Reilly helped Central Missouri to a 30-5 record this season by averaging 5.92 digs per set to rank second in the Mid-America Intercol- legiate Athletics Association and 13th in NCAA Division II. Her 728 digs this season were a career-high, helping the Jennies reach the NCAA Division II National Tournament for a 33rd consecutive season.
2015 RON LENZ D2CCA VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR: BERKLEYWHALEY- TAMPA
2015 ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM
POS |
PLAYER |
CL |
SCHOOL |
HOMETOWN |
OH |
Hailey Roberts |
So. |
Tarleton State |
Cedar Park, Texas |
OH |
Mariah Scharf |
Sr. |
Minnesota Duluth |
Loretto, Minn. |
OH |
Berkley Whaley |
Sr. |
Tampa |
St. Petersburg, Fla. |
MH |
Jessica Wagner |
Sr. |
Tampa |
Cape Coral, Fla. |
MH |
Riley Hanson |
Jr. |
Concordia-St. Paul |
Nevis, Minn. |
S |
Drew Smith |
Sr. |
Northern State |
Ames, Iowa |
L |
Annie Reilly |
Sr. |
Central Missouri |
Overland Park, Kan. |
2015 ALL-AMERICA SECOND TEAM
POS |
PLAYER |
CL |
SCHOOL |
HOMETOWN |
OH |
Carly Sojka |
Sr. |
Central Missouri |
Blue Springs, Mo. |
OH |
Kelsey Chambers |
Sr. |
Northern State |
Jordan, Minn. |
OH |
Heather Leavitt |
Sr. |
Point Loma |
Mesa, Ariz. |
MH |
Brenna McIntosh |
Sr. |
Cal State San Bernardino |
Yorba Linda, Calif. |
MH |
Preecy Seever |
Sr. |
Rockhurst |
Olathe, Kan. |
S |
Andrea Thobe |
Jr. |
Wheeling Jesuit |
Sidney, Ohio |
L |
Melissa Mazur |
Fr. |
Tusculum |
Chicago, Ill. |
2015 ALL-AMERICA THIRD TEAM
POS |
PLAYER |
CL |
SCHOOL |
HOMETOWN |
OH |
Megan Vander Meer |
Sr. |
Ferris State |
Grand Rapids, Mich. |
OH |
Hannah Schellenberg |
Sr. |
Belmont Abbey |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
OH |
Ashley Diedrich |
Sr. |
USC Aiken |
Orlando, Fla. |
MH |
Skylar German |
Jr. |
Post |
Kansas City, Mo. |
MH |
Lauran Graves |
Fr. |
Wheeling Jesuit |
Toledo, Ohio |
S |
Maggi Jo Keffury |
Sr. |
Angelo State |
Arroyo Grande, Calif. |
L |
Brittany Jaco |
Sr. |
Barry |
Lakewood Ranch, Fla. |
HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICANS: Caylie Seitz, Sonoma State (Outside Hitter); Kayce Crucki, Wheel- ing Jesuit (Outside Hitter); Katelynn Zanders, Alaska-Anchorage (Outside Hitter); Hannah Tong, Findlay (Outside Hitter); Oni Lattin, Colorado State-Pueblo (Middle Hitter); Sarah Victory, Washburn (Middle Hitter); Kenya Alex- ander, Tarleton State (Middle Hitter); Jessica Thobe, Wheeling Jesuit (Libero); Morgan Hooe, Alaska-Anchorage (Setter).