Tommies claim several MIAC volleyball honors

November 6, 2002
The conference champion St. Thomas volleyball team had a pair of repeat first-team All-MIAC honorees and also swept the MVP, First-Year Award and Coach of the Year honors.

Outside Hitter Katie Reynolds (SR-Mora) was named the conference MVP. Reynolds and setter Jane Gibbs (JR-Lakeville) were named first-team All-MIAC for the third year in a row.

Hitter Erika Wetzel (FR-Brooklyn Park/Champlin Park) was chosen First-Year Player of the Year.

Fourth-year head coach Cole Tallman was named MIAC Coach of the Year. Tallman has guided the Tommies to two MIAC regular-season titles and a four-year record of 92-35. Its the 13th postseason coaching honor Tallman has received in his 18-year career, and third different conference he's been honored as Coach of the Year. He previously received the award at Furman and Anderson.

Reynolds is on the verge of adding the school career digs record to her career kills record set in October. Reynolds needs four digs to break the UST record. A four-time All-MIAC honoree and 2001 All-Region honoree, Reynolds has a 3.25 gpa in Communications. She's played in 420 games and has 1,879 kills, 1,624 digs, 424 blocks, 112 aces and has a career attack percentage of .335. She needs 21 kills to reach 1,900, and 163 to pass 2002 St. Olaf graduate Nicole Trnka -- the Toms' current assistant coach. The Tommies are 92-35 in Reynolds' four-year era (36-8 in MIAC matches).

Gibbs, a three-year starter, has played in 101 games this season and has 1,493 assists (14.78 apg) and 348 digs. She was chosen MIAC conference Setter of the Week three times in 2002 and five times on career. Last season she led Division III in assists per game (14.28), had 40 service aces and averaged 3.39 digs a game. Her 1,371 assists and 14.28 apg were both school records for one season. On her three-year career, she's played in 301 games with 4,167 assists, 962 digs, 102 service aces.

Wetzel has been sidelined with an ankle injury incurred three weeks ago. Before her injury, she helped the Tommies to a 20-2 start with 252 kills in 75 games, a .318 hitting percentage, 289 digs, 36 blocks and 28 service aces.

The 20th-ranked Tommies have clinched the MIAC outright volleyball championship for the first time since 1992, and their current 29-6 record has set a school record for season victories.

The Tommies will host the MIAC playoff semifinals and finals Nov. 8-9 in Schoenecker Arena. Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for students each day. Friday, No. 2-seed St. Olaf will play third-seed Bethel at 5 p.m.; St. Thomas plays fourth-seed Concordia at 8 p.m. The winners play Saturday at 8 p.m. for the championship, following a 5 p.m. third-place match. The MIAC's automatic berth into the NCAA playoffs goes to the tournament victor.

see complete list of honorees here