Four volleyball players earn All-America honors

MADISON, Wis. – Four members of the Wisconsin volleyball team were named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) 2016 All-America teams, the organization announced on Wednesday.

Senior Lauren Carlini wraps up her career as the first four-time All-American in program history, earning her third-straight first-team honor. Senior Haleigh Nelson picks up her second-straight, second-team All-American honor while sophomore Tionna Williams moves up to the third team this season after earning honorable mention honors as a freshman. Molly Haggerty becomes just the third Badger freshman to be named to an All-America team, garnering selection to the third team. The four honorees ties for the second-most All-Americans in a season in program history, tying last season's four award winners and ranking behind the five All-America honors in 2014.

Carlini, a 6-2 setter, led the Big Ten Conference and ranked third nationally with 11.81 assists per set in 2016. She ended her career with 5,599 assists, which ranks second on the Badger record list. The Aurora, Illinois, native also averaged 11.52 assists per set through her four years, which ranks fifth at UW. Carlini had double-figure digs in 74 matches in her career, setting a school record for most double-doubles at 74. She recorded 1,367 digs in her four years, which ranks seventh.

A 6-4 middle blocker, Nelson ranked second in the Big Ten and 17^th nationally with a hitting percentage of .396 this season. She wrapped up her career as the top hitter in Badger history, connecting on .375 percent of her attacks. The Cary, North Carolina, native also ended her career ranked fourth in total blocks (597), seventh in blocks per set (1.20), and 16^th in kills (1125). The iron Badger played in a school-record 138 matches and 498 sets, starting a record 136 contests.

Williams was the Badgers' top blocker for the second year in a row, ranking sixth in the conference and 45^th nationally with 1.27 blocks per set in 2016. She also ranked second on the squad with a .326 hitting percentage. The 6-2 middle blocker ranked fourth on the team with 2.27 kills per set, recording double-figure kills in 12 matches.

A 6-1 outside hitter, Haggerty led Wisconsin with 3.41 kills per set this season, recording double-figure kills in a team-best 18 matches. The Glen Ellyn, Illinois, native also ranked second on the team with 2.44 digs per set, recording double-figure digs in 11 matches. Haggerty also ranked third on the team with nine double-doubles.

The Badgers will celebrate the 2016 season at their annual banquet on Jan. 15 in Varsity Hall of Union South on the UW campus. Doors open at 11:15 a.m. with a brunch buffet served at noon. The banquet program will follow brunch. Cost of the event is $30 per person while children 12–and-under are $12.

AVCA First-Team All-America

First Name	Last Name	School	Pos.	Year
Inky	Ajanaku$&	Stanford University	MB	Sr.
Amy	Boswell#	Brigham Young University	MB	Sr.
Lauren	Carlini*$!	University of Wisconsin	S	Sr.
Simone	Lee	Penn State University	OH	Jr.
Ebony	Nwanebu&	University of Texas	RS	Jr.
Kelsie	Payne*	University of Kansas	RS	Jr.
Kathryn	Plummer	Stanford University	OH	Fr.
Kadie	Rolfzen*%?	University of Nebraska	RS	Sr.
Courtney	Schwan	University of Washington	OH	Jr.
Samantha	Seliger-Swenson^	University of Minnesota	S	So.
Haleigh	Washington*	Penn State University	MB	Jr.
Micaya	White	University of Texas	OH	Fr.
Sarah	Wilhite	University of Minnesota	OH	Sr.
Justine	Wong-Orantes#	University of Nebraska	L	Sr.

AVCA Second-Team All-America

First Name	Last Name	School	Pos.	Year
Adora	Anae	University of Utah	OH	Jr.
Abby	Cole^	University of Michigan	MB	Sr.
Chloe	Collins#	University of Texas	S	Sr.
Alyssa	Garvelink	Michigan State University	MB	Jr.
Alex	Holston#$	University of Florida	RS	Sr.
Kelly	Hunter	University of Nebraska	S	Jr.
Crissy	Jones	University of Washington	RS	Jr.
Taylor	Leath	University of North Carolina	OH	So.
Haleigh	Nelson^	University of Wisconsin	MB	Sr.
Taylor	Sandbothe*	Ohio State University	MB	Sr.
Katie	Staiger	Baylor University	OH	Jr.
Bailey	Tanner	University of Washington	S	Jr.
Hannah	Tapp*	University of Minnesota	RS/MB	Sr.
Nikki	Taylor^	University of Hawai'i	RS	Sr.

AVCA Third-Team All-America

First Name	Last Name	School	Pos.	Year
Rhamat	Alhassan*@	University of Florida	MB	Jr.
Katie	Brand	Kansas State University	S	Sr.
Melanie	Crow	University of Missouri	OH	Jr.
Lydia	Dimke	Creighton University	S	Jr.
Leah	Edmond	University of Kentucky	OH	Fr.
Molly	Haggerty	University of Wisconsin	OH	Fr.
Ainise	Havili*	University of Kansas	S	Jr.
Merete	Lutz^@	Stanford University	RS	Jr.
Kalei	Mau	University of Arizona	OH	Sr.
McKenna	Miller	Brigham Young University	OH	Fr.
Amber	Rolfzen^	University of Nebraska	MB	Sr.
Penina	Snuka	University of Arizona	S	Sr.
Lindsey	Vander Weide	University of Oregon	OH	So.
Tionna	Williams	University of Wisconsin	MB	So.

* indicates 2015 AVCA First-Team All-America selection
^ indicates 2015 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection
# indicates 2015 AVCA Third-Team All-America selection
$ indicates 2014 AVCA First-Team All-America selection
@ indicates 2014 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection
% indicates 2014 AVCA Third-Team All-America selection
& indicates 2013 AVCA First-Team All-American selection
! indicates 2013 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection
? indicates a 2013 AVCA Third-Team All-American selection

2016 Division I AVCA Freshman of the Year: Kathryn Plummer, Stanford, OH

AVCA Honorable Mention All-America

First Name	Last Name	School	Pos.	Year
Stephanie	Aiple	Texas A&M University	S	Jr.
Autumn	Bailey	Michigan State University	OH	Jr.
Nele	Barber	Long Beach State University	OH	Sr.
Ali	Bastianelli	University of Illinois	MB	So.
Amanda	Benson	University of Oregon	L	Sr.
Abbey	Bessler	Xavier University	OH	Sr.
Kaitlyn	Blake	Texas A&M University	MB	So.
Alyssa	Cavanaugh	Western Kentucky University	OH	Jr.
Olivia	Dailey	University of Kentucky	S	So.
Brandi	Donnelly	University of Illinois	L	Jr.
Ashley	Dusek	University of Kentucky	L	Jr.
Audriana	Fitzmorris	Stanford University	MB	Fr.
Mikaela	Foecke	University of Nebraska	OH	So.
Janey	Goodman	James Madison University	RS	Sr.
Natalie	Gower	TCU	MB	Sr.
Chelsey	Harris	Rice University	RS	Sr.
Alexis	Hart	University of Minnesota	OH	Fr.
Marion	Hazelwood	University of Oklahoma	MB	Jr.
Morgan	Heise	SMU	L	Sr.
Briana	Holman	University of Nebraska	MB	Jr.
Kyra	Holt	Washington State University	OH	Sr.
Taylor	Hughes	Ohio State University	S/H	So.
Lily	Johnson	Missouri State University	OH	Jr.
Carly	Kan	University of Missouri	OH	Sr.
Sasha	Karelov	Duke University	L	Sr.
Aleksandra	Kazala	American University	OH	So.
Taryn	Kloth	Creighton University	OH	So.
Caroline	Knop	University of Florida	L	Jr.
Lisa	Kramer	University of San Diego	RS	Sr.
Milica	Kubura	Florida State University	OH	Jr.
Khalia	Lanier	University of Southern California	OH	Fr.
Jody	Larson	Wichita State University	RS	Sr.
Abbie	Lehman	Wichita State University	MB	Jr.
Anna	Logan	Butler University	OH	So.
Molly	Lohman	University of Minnesota	MB	Jr.
Taylor	Louis	Marquette University	OH	So.
Jessica	Lucas	Western Kentucky University	S	Jr.
Emily	Maglio	University of Hawai'i	MB	Jr.
Mary-Kate	Marshall	Oregon State University	OH	Jr.
Madison	McDaniel	Rice University	S	Jr.
Allie	Monserez	University of Florida	S	So.
Alyssa	Munlyn	University of Missouri	MB	So.
Sierra	Nobley	Boise State University	OH	Jr.
Carlyle	Nusbaum	Lipscomb University	OH	So.
Maddy	O'Donnell	Boise State University	MB	Sr.
Katie	Oleksak	Colorado State University	S	Fr.
Jenna	Potts	University of Pittsburgh	MB	Sr.
Jordyn	Poulter	University of Illinois	S	So.
Paulina	Prieto Cerame	University of Texas	OH	Sr.
Madison	Rigdon	University of Kansas	OH	Jr.
Krystal	Rivers	University of Alabama	RS	Sr.
Elise	Ruddins	University of Southern Calif.	MB	Sr.
Lindsey	Ruddins	UC Santa Barbara	OH	Fr.
Danielle	Rygelski	Saint Louis University	OH	Sr.
Lauren	Schad	University of San Diego	MB	Sr.
Jess	Schaben	Iowa State University	OH	So.
Markie	Schaedig	Arkansas State University	L	Sr.
Julia	Scoles	University of North Carolina	OH	Fr.
Carli	Snyder	University of Florida	OH	Jr.
Sarah	Sponcil	Loyola Marymount University	OH	Jr.
Olga	Strantzali	University of Miami	OH	Jr.
Jordan	Thompson	University of Cincinnati	RS	So.
Erica	Treiber	University of Tennessee	MB	So.
Jordan	Tucker	Duke University	MB	Sr.
Teegan	Van Gunst	Georgia Tech	OH	Sr.
Cassie	Wait	University of Kansas	L	Sr.
MacKenzi	Welsh	University of Michigan	S	Fr.
Stephanie	Williams	University of Pittsburgh	OH	Fr.
Jaali	Winters	Creighton University	OH	So.

University of Wisconsin Athletics

Four volleyball players earn All-America honors

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Players Mentioned

Molly Haggerty

Tionna Williams

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