NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State volleyball team gathered for their end-of-season team dinner Sunday, at which four specialty awards were presented and seniors received their framed jerseys.
The 2014 season was a successful one for the Redbirds, as they won their first Missouri Valley Conference regular-season and tournament titles since 1997. Illinois State made its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007 and won its first NCAA Tournament match since 1996. The tournament win was the program's first away from Redbird Arena.
In addition to the awards conferred upon the team by the MVC and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), four team awards were presented Sunday night. The awards were voted on by the team.
Eliza Smith was named the team's Most Improved Player. The senior middle hitter/right side from Melbourne, Australia, had the best season of her collegiate career, recording 191 kills and 65 blocks, totals that eclipsed what she had accomplished in her first three years combined. Smith was a MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team selection, and was named the MVC's Elite 18 Award winner, recognizing the player with the highest grade-point average (GPA) competing in an MVC championship contest.
Elianna Lovejoy was named the Kristin Kueltzo Inspiration Award winner. Lovejoy, a freshman defensive specialist form Bettendorf, Iowa, helped provide a spark as a situational server for the Redbirds in 2014. Lovejoy committed only three errors in 91 service attempts. She finished the season with 14 digs and one service ace.
The Kelly Meisner Courage Award went to Stacey Niao. A senior outside hitter from Kawerau, New Zealand, Niao tallied 286 kills, 342 digs and 42 assists, totals that all ranked in the top three among Illinois State players. Niao also led the team with 36 service aces in 2014.
The Linda Herman Most Valuable Player Award was claimed by Kaitlyn Early. The senior setter, who had previously been named the MVC Player of the Year and Setter of the Year, led an offensive attack that ranked as the top unit in the Valley. She was recognized as the MVC Offensive Player of the Week four times throughout the season. Early also added totals of 144 kills, 325 assists and 67 blocks in 2014.
Additionally, seniors Sierra Burris, Emily Orrick, Emily Schneider, Niao, Smith and Early received framed jerseys at the team dinner, as did Ciera Lucich, who played for the Redbirds from 2011-13 before being granted a medical hardship waiver.
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