University of Nebraska- Lincoln
In the last week the huskers overtook Oklahoma, Duquesne, and No. 19 Kentucky all at home during the Ameritas Player’s Challenge. They remain the No. 1 ranked team after taking both Oklahoma and Duquesne in three sets and Kentucky in four. Senior Hannah Werth was named MVP of the all-tournament team and was joined by teammate Lauren Cook.

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OMAHA – College of Saint Mary volleyball dropped a pair of games in the Bellevue Classic on Friday. The Flames dropped a 3-0 (25-6, 25-16, and 25-10) decision to Hasting College in the opener. Later in the day, Doane topped CSM 3-0 (25-18, 25-13, and 25-17).

In the opening match of the tournament, the Flames struggled to stop the Hastings’ offense. The Broncos had a 50-14 kill advantage and served seven aces compared to just two by the Flames.

Joy Leick (SO, Omaha, Neb.) led CSM with six kills. Aysha Janssen (FR, Omaha, Neb.) and Kaylee Wallace (SR, Omaha, Neb.) each had three. Shelby Easley (FR, Omaha, Neb.) had a team high nine assists.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – College of Saint Mary volleyball kicked off the 2012 season at the Tournament of Champions in Salt Lake City. CSM started off the day with a 3-set loss to the host, Westminster, and dropped a 4-set match to Colorado Mesa later in the day.

In the season opener, CSM fell to Westminster 16-25, 15-25, 17-25. Joy Leick (SO, Omaha, Neb.) led the Flames with six kills. Maddie Scow (FR, Shelby, Neb.) added four kills. Kaylee Wallace (SR, Omaha, Neb.), Jordan Rump (FR, Omaha, Neb.), Jessica Kuehner (SO, Omaha, Neb.) and Aysha Janssen (FR, Columbus, Neb.) were credited with three kills each.

Wallace and Adrienne Mahoney (FR, Emerson, Iowa) played key roles in the CSM attack. Wallace had 11 assists, while Mahoney dished out nine assists. Baylee Collins (JR, North Platte, Neb.) had a game high 19 digs.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced today that 533 teams have earned the AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2011-2012 season. This number once again breaks the previous year's total of 481 and sets a new all-time high for this award.

The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale or a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale.

The College of Saint Mary volleyball team earned the award with a team grade point average of 3.33 this season. CSM has won the award 11 times, which is most of any teams in the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference (MCAC).

The Flames are coached by Samantha Hammond and finished last season with an 11-24 overall record and finished fourth in the MCAC conference standings. CSM kicks off the 2012 season on August 24 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced today that 33 NAIA teams earned the AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2011-12 academic year, including the Bellevue University volleyball team. It marks the fourth time in school history that BU has earned the prestigious award.

The Bruins, boasting a 3.34 team GPA, were one of 533 schools at all levels across the country to receive the honor.

College of St. Mary also represented the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference on the list.
The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.
Bellevue finished the 2011 season with a No. 25 final national ranking, winning the 2011 MCAC Tournament title after finishing second in the MCAC regular season. The Bruins advanced to the NAIA National Tournament for the fifth-straight season.

College of St. Mary Shelby Easley of Omaha Northwest signs her letter of intent to College of St. Mary while her family and CSM head coach Samantha Hammond look on.

OMAHA – Head coach Samantha Hammond announced the signing of Shelby Easley (Omaha, NE/Omaha Northwest High School) to a letter of intent to continue her academic and athletic career at College of Saint Mary.

Easley participated in volleyball all four years of high school at Omaha Northwest. She set the single season record of number of set assists with 580 at her high school. Easley also received the Leadership Award for Volleyball-Kiwanis Club.

Easley choose CSM based on the volleyball and nursing program.

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SHELBY — Now that’s a birthday present.

Telegram Super Senior Maddie Scow of Shelby-Rising City signed a National Letter of Intent Tuesday to play volleyball next fall at the College of Saint Mary, making her Jan. 10th birthday little more magical.

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COLUMBUS — Whenever the Lakeview volleyball team needed a spark this year, it turned to Aysha Janssen.

Now, she is a Flame.

POINT LOOKOUT, MO. -- The Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference announced the 2011 All-MCAC Women's Volleyball Teams in conjunction with the MCAC Tournament over the weekend in Point Lookout, Mo.

College of Saint Mary landed four players on the All-Conference teams. Leading the way for CSM are first team members Ashley Iwanski (Omaha, Neb.) and Jessica Kuehner (Omaha, Neb.). Joy Leick (Omaha, Neb.) was named to the MCAC Second Team. Bailey Collins (North Platte, Neb.) garnered an honorable mention selection.

Iwanski, a senior, repeated as a first team all-conference selection this season. She led the Flames with 369 kills, 48 ace serves, and 342 digs.

OMAHA – College of Saint Mary volleyball ended the regular season by sweeping Haskell University 25-19, 25-22, 25-22 on Saturday afternoon. The win qualifies the Flames for the MCAC post season tournament.

The Flames were led by senior Ashley Iwanksi (Omaha, Neb.). The senior hitter had 16 kills and 14 digs. Iwanski also had a solo block and two set assists in her final home game. Courtney Iwanski (Omaha, Neb.) had nine kills and seven digs. Kaylee Wallace (Omaha, Neb.) added seven kills and 21 assists in the win. Brittney Lester (Tecumseh, Neb.) dished out 16 assists and had an ace serve.

CSM ends the regular season with an 11-23 overall record and a 6-5 mark in the MCAC. Post season pairing will be out early in the week.