Postseason honors continue to pour in for the 2019 Red Raider volleyball team as three players, Anna Wedel, Lacey Wacker and Makenzie Fink, were named to the American Volleyball Coaches’ Association (AVCA) All-America teams. Head Coach Kyle Van Den Bosch was named as the AVCA West Central Region Coach of the Year and Bekah Horstman and A.J. Kacmarynski earned AVCA West Central Region Honorable Mention honors.
Named both NAIA and AVCA NAIA Player of the Year, Wedel led the GPAC with a .345% hitting percentage and averaged 4.4 kills per set, 11th best in the NAIA. The junior hit for double figures in 31 matches and totaled 15 double-doubles this season. Wedel ranked second on the team in digs (2.7 per set) and put down 55 blocks. She played some of her best volleyball at the national tournament, ranking among the championships top five in kills and hitting percentage, and was named to the all-tournament team. Wedel was also named the GPAC Player of the Year and first team all-conference. She is a two-time All-American.
Wacker, the 2019 GPAC Setter of the Year, received first team All-American recognition after being named third team last year. Wacker led the NAIA in assists, averaging over 12 per set, in leading the best hitting offense in the NAIA (.303). The junior was second in the GPAC with a team-best 47 aces, averaged 2.2 digs per set and put down 56 blocks. Wacker recorded six double-doubles and one match, vs Midland, with a 20-20 (kills/digs).
Fink claims the national honor for the first time and is a three-time all-conference selection. Fink hit .316, fifth best in the GPAC, and put down 3.1 kills per set on the rightside for the Red Raider offense. Fink was third on the team in blocks (73), fifth in aces (28) and hit for double figures in 20 matches this season. The junior had one double-double (vs Dordt) and had one match with 20+ kills (vs Dordt).
Kyle Van Den Bosch was named the AVCA Regional Coach of the Year after leading the Red Raiders to the conference championship with an unbeaten 16-0 record. The Red Raiders spent three weeks at No.1 in the NAIA Coaches’ poll and finished with a 32-2 overall record. Van Den Bosch has guided the Red Raiders to the NAIA National Championship tournament seven times in his 15 seasons as head coach.
Kacmarynski, a three-time all-conference pick and 2017 All-American, averaged 2.5 kills per set and hit .220 on the outside for the Red Raiders. The junior hit for double figures in 12 matches, had 30 aces to go with 46 blocks.
Horstman ranked sixth in the GPAC with 132 blocks and hit a team-best .386 as one of the team’s middle hitters. The sophomore averaged 2.1 kills per set and recorded 10+ kills in 10 matches this season. Horstman was the 2018 GPAC Freshman of the Year and is a two-time all-conference pick.
Northwestern ended the season with a 32-2 record, losing in the national quarterfinals to Jamestown.
