KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced the 2015 Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball All-America Teams, as chosen by the NAIA Volleyball All-America Selection Committee, Monday. The 2015 national championship tournament committee consisted of four NAIA coaches including, Stew McDole of Graceland (Iowa), Trish Seidlik of Bellevue (Iowa), Cara Currier of St. Francis (Ill.) and Tina Carter of Grand View (Iowa) Each team – first, second and third – consists of 14 members.
Outside hitter Penny Liu was named the Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball National Championship Player of the Year for her play at the event. This is the first All-American selection for the sophomore as she led her team to their twenty-second straight appearance at the national championship and fourth title in school history. Liu was named 2015 American Midwest Conference (AMC) Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and a First Team All-Conference. This the sixth player of the year from Columbia and first since Paula Ferreira in 2012.
Liu is second in the NAIA in hitting percentage (.408) with 601 on the year, fourth in total kills (601) and seventh in kills per game (4.230). She hit .400-or-better 23 times this year, including a season-best .923 in a three-set match against St. Louis Pharmacy (Mo.) on Sept. 21.
For the second year in a row Haley Pouliezos of Missouri Baptist was named as the Tachikara-NAIA Libero of the Year. The senior from Imperial, Mo., was also named to the All-America First Team – her second All-America selection. Pouliezos played a key role in her team’s 39-5 season, including a first ever trip to the national championship title game where she recorded a team high 19 defensive digs.
Pouliezos is fifth in the NAIA in total digs (816) and 11th in digs per game (5.790). She had a career high 39 digs against College of the Ozarks (Mo.) on Oct. 20.
Columbia’s Melinda Wrye-Washington was name the 2015 NAIA Volleyball Coach of the Year after leading her Cougars to a 33-7 season including the team’s fourth national championship title. This is Wrye-Washington’s 14th season at Columbia, posting a record of 580-80 (.879) and is currently ranked as the programs all-time winningest coach. The Cougars now hold an 86-43 all-time record at nationals after going a perfect 6-0 this year at the tournament.
For more information on NAIA volleyball, click here.
Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball National Championship Most Valuable Player: Penny Liu, Columbia (Mo.)
Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball National Championship Libero of the Year: Haley Pouliezos, Missouri Baptist
Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball National Championship Coach of the Year: Melinda Wrye-Washington, Columbia (Mo.)
2015 Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball All-American Teams
| First Team |
Institution |
Pos. |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| Joclyn Kirton |
Biola (Calif.) |
OH |
SR |
Kirkland, Wash. |
| Alyssa Mason |
Biola (Calif.) |
MB |
SR |
Redlands, Calif. |
| Kylie Porter |
College of Idaho |
MH |
SR |
Boise, Idaho |
| Penny Liu |
Columbia (Mo.) |
OPP |
SO |
Nanjing, China |
| Brooke Granstra |
Dordt (Iowa) |
MH |
JR |
Sioux Center, Iowa |
| Kennadie Clute |
Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) |
OH |
JR |
Spokane, Wash. |
| Carol Siqueira |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
OH |
SR |
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Mallory Dillion |
Missouri Baptist |
OH |
SR |
St. Charles, Mo. |
| Haley Pouliezous |
Missouri Baptist |
L |
SR |
Imperial, Mo. |
| Karlie Schut |
Northwestern (Iowa) |
OPP |
SR |
West Des Moines, Iowa |
| Stephanie Flores |
Vanguard (Calif.) |
MB |
SR |
Yucipa, Calif. |
| Natalie Geidel |
Viterbo (Wis.) |
MH |
SO |
West Bend, Wis. |
| Jennifer Krentz |
Viterbo (Wis.) |
L |
SR |
Watertown, Minn. |
| Shahala Hawkins |
Wayland Baptist (Texas) |
MH |
SR |
Denver City, Texas |
|
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| Second Team |
Institution |
Pos. |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| Sierra Porter |
College of Idaho |
S |
SR |
Eagle, Idaho |
| Sashiko Heredia |
Columbia (Mo.) |
S |
JR |
Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico |
| Taylor Wells |
Grand View (Iowa) |
OPP |
JR |
Des Moines, Iowa |
| Logan Drueppel |
Hastings (Neb.) |
MH |
JR |
Schuyler, Neb. |
| Makenzie Montano |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
S |
SO |
Louisville, Ky. |
| Stephanie Ruffing |
Lourdes (Ohio) |
OH |
JR |
Columbus, Ohio |
| Rachel Kater |
MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) |
S |
SO |
Wichita, Kan. |
| Priscilla O'Dowd |
Midland (Neb.) |
MH |
FR |
Papillion, Neb. |
| Ally Krus |
Missouri Baptist |
S |
SR |
St. Louis, Mo. |
| Mariah Stiffarm |
Rocky Mountain (Mont.) |
MH |
SR |
Billings, Mont. |
| Rebecca Just |
St. Catharine (Ky.) |
OH |
SR |
Louisville, Ky. |
| Charlotte Heerlyn |
Vanguard (Calif.) |
OPP |
SR |
Santee, Calif. |
| Sarah McKinny |
Vanguard (Calif.) |
MH |
SR |
Santa Barbara, Calif. |
| Amelia Grahn |
Viterbo (Wis.) |
S |
SO |
Madison, Wis. |
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| Third Team |
Institution |
Pos. |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| Pakalana Helekahi |
Ashford (Iowa) |
OH |
SO |
Hana, Hawaii |
| Beth Walker |
Bellevue (Neb.) |
S |
SR |
Dubuque, Iowa |
| Britta Blaser |
Biola (Calif.) |
OPP |
SR |
Morgan Hill, Calif. |
| Amber Parker |
Corban (Ore.) |
OH |
SO |
Albany, Ore. |
| Rachelle Chamberlain |
Eastern (Ore.) |
S |
JR |
Challis, Idaho |
| Jenny Howell |
Georgetown (Ky.) |
OH |
SO |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Madison Wendel |
Jamestown (N.D) |
MH |
SO |
Carrington, N.D. |
| Audrey Dearien |
John Brown (Ark.) |
OH |
SR |
Frisco, Texas |
| Molly Shonk |
Lourdes (Ohio) |
OH |
JR |
Columbus, Ohio |
| Jessica Peters |
Midland (Neb.) |
S |
FR |
Papillion, Neb. |
| Annelise Rohrer |
Mt. Vernon Nazarene (Kan.) |
OH |
JR |
Hilliard, Ohio |
| Tori Leisure |
Oklahoma City |
MH |
SR |
Haslet, Texas |
| Janaya Fox |
Ottawa (Kan.) |
OH |
JR |
Bellevue, Neb. |
| Lauren McGowne |
Southern Oregon |
S |
JR |
Coos Bay, Ore. |
| Honorable Mention |
Institution |
| Kayla Morlan |
Asbury (Ky.) |
| Eloisa Sales |
Bethel (Tenn.) |
| Kara Stamper |
Bryan (Tenn.) |
| Shelby Grace Enochs |
Bryan (Tenn.) |
| Jana Kortas |
Cambellsville (Ky.) |
| Kendyl Danelski |
Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) |
| Crystal Schmidt |
Carroll (Mont.) |
| Cayley Meiners |
Coastal Georgia |
| Emma Anderson |
Coastal Georgia |
| Jamie Reaves |
College of the Ozarks (Mo.) |
| Alayna Kavanaugh |
Concordia (Neb.) |
| Jocelyn Garcia |
Concordia (Neb.) |
| Chelsea Lake |
Cornerstone (Mich.) |
| Kamrin Gold |
Culver Stockton (Mo.) |
| Jamie Gesink |
Dordt (Iowa) |
| Amanda Miller |
Eastern Oregon |
| Morgan Smith |
Evangel (Mo.) |
| Emma Feierabend |
Friends (Kan.) |
| Corri Muha |
Georgetown (Ky.) |
| Katie Placke |
Hastings (Neb.) |
| Conley Kipp |
Hope International (Calif.) |
| Mallory Livingston |
Indiana University East |
| Lindy Thomas |
Indiana University Kokomo |
| Morgan Miller |
Indiana Wesleyan Univ. |
| Heather Bachman |
Jamestown (N.D.) |
| Treneisha Doyle |
Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) |
| Carolynne Silva |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
| Michi Jiminez |
Lourdes (Ohio) |
| Nicole Oestrike |
Madonna (Mich.) |
| Katie Breault |
Madonna (Mich.) |
| Aubrey Bekendam |
Masters (Calif.) |
| Ashlee Harms |
Midland (Neb.) |
| Hannah Carey |
Missouri Baptist |
| Bailey Nations |
Mobile (Ala.) |
| Bailie Cortner |
Montana Tech |
| Marlowe Beatty |
Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) |
| Manon Soraru |
Oklahoma City |
| Becky Deruiter |
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) |
| Bethany Farres |
Ottawa (Kan.) |
| Alysha Blanco |
Our Lady of The Lake (Texas) |
| Danna Gomes |
Park (Mo.) |
| Raissa Herczfeld |
Park (Mo.) |
| Shannon Liewer |
Peru State (Neb.) |
| Aleah Billis |
Rocky Mountain (Mont.) |
| Tori Bertsch |
Rocky Mountain (Mont.) |
| Emma Gasman |
Southern Oregon |
| Jordan Strickland |
St. Catharine (Ky.) |
| Whitney Battoe |
St. Thomas (Fla.) |
| Tena Loewen |
Tabor (Kan.) |
| Shaughnessy Hearn |
Texas Wesleyan |
| Katie Stoll |
Trinity Christian (Ill.) |
| Ana Calaza |
Union (Ky.) |
| Rebecca Lowden |
Vanguard (Calif.) |
| Sara Biermaier |
Viterbo (Wis.) |
| Libby Dahlberg |
Westmont (Calif.) |
| Taylor Beckman |
Westmont (Calif.) |
| Jessica McCann |
Westmont (Calif.) |
| Emily Becker |
William Woods (Mo.) |
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