Photo by: Greg Anderson
Five named AVCA All-Region
December 04, 2018 | Volleyball
Rettke, Hilley, Duello, Clark and Williams earn recognition
MADISON, Wis. – Five members of the sixth-seeded Wisconsin volleyball team have named American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Northeast region, the organization announced on Tuesday.
Sophomores Dana Rettke and Sydney Hilley along with redshirt junior Madison Duello were named to the all-region team, while junior Tiffany Clark and senior Tionna Williams earned honorable mention recognition.
All five players will now be eligible for AVCA All-America honors, which will be announced on Dec. 12.
Rettke, a 2018 unanimous All-Big Ten pick, currently leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth nationally with a hitting percentage of .415. The 6-foot-8 middle blocker also leads the conference and ranks sixth nationally with 1.55 blocks per set while ranking seventh in the league with 3.71 kills per set. Rettke was named the AVCA National Player of the Week on Oct. 22 and the Big Ten Player of the Week on Oct. 22 and Nov. 5.
The Riverside, Illinois, native has led the Badgers in kills in a team-best 18 matches this season and in blocks in a team-best 22 matches. She has recorded double-figure kills in 22 matches this season, including 20-plus kills in three matches. Rettke tallied a career-high 30 kills in only four sets vs. Minnesota on Oct. 31. The 2017 Big Ten Freshman of the year, Rettke also has double-figure blocks in three matches this season, tallying three double-doubles. She had a career-high 11 blocks at Penn State on Nov. 24.
A 6-foot setter, Hilley leads the Big Ten and ranks fifth in the nation with 11.94 assists per set. She has registered more than 50 assists in eight matches this season, including a career-high 61 assists at Penn State on Nov. 24. Hilley was named the Big Ten Setter of the Week three times in 2018 and was also named the Player of the Week on Nov. 19. She earned her first All-Big Ten honor this season.
The Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, native also adds 2.45 digs per set, which ties for third on the team. Hilley has a team-best 15 double-doubles this season, including seven in the last eight matches. She also ranks second on the team with 29 service aces (0.26 per set) while adding 0.65 kills and 0.70 blocks per set.
Duello is one of the most improved players in the Big Ten this season, earning her first All-Big Ten honor this season. The 6-foot-3 right-side hitter ranks second on UW this year with 2.75 kills per set, an improvement of 0.80 per set. She also upped her hitting percentage from .268 in 2017 to .291 in 2018, an increase of .023 points.
The Kansas City, Missouri, native has recorded double-figure kills in 14 matches this season, including a career-high 24 kills at Penn State on Nov. 24. Duello also ranks fourth on the Badgers with 17 service aces (0.16/set) while adding 0.92 digs and 0.74 blocks per set.
Clark, a 5-foot-11 libero, leads the Badgers and ranks fifth in the Big Ten with 4.46 digs per set. She has recorded double-figure digs in 26 matches, including seven matches with 20-or-more saves. The Naperville, Illinois, native had a career-high 33 digs at Michigan on Oct. 26. Clark has led Wisconsin in digs in a team-best 21 matches. She also adds 13 service aces or 0.12 aces per set.
A 6-foot-2 middle blocker, Williams is the only senior on the UW team and is playing her best ball of the season in the NCAA tournament. The Fort Wayne, Indiana, native is hitting a team best .514 (21 kills – 3 errors – 35 total attempts) through two NCAA matches while averaging 3.00 kills per set. She also adds 1.00 blocks per set.
On the season, Williams ranks second on the team and eighth in the Big Ten with a .346 hitting percentage. She also ranks second on the team with 0.88 blocks per set while ranking fifth on the team with 1.94 kills per set. Williams has 10-or-more kills in seven matches this season and has led the team in kills in two matches and in blocks in 10 matches.
Five all-region honors tie the UW record for most recognitions in a season, tying the marks set in 2014 and 2016.
For the sixth-straight year, Wisconsin has advanced to regional play of the NCAA tournament. The sixth-seeded Badgers (24-6) take on San Diego (18-12) in the regional semifinals on Friday at 1:30 p.m. from Huff Hall in Champaign, Illinois. The match will be streamed live on ESPN3. No. 3-seed Illinois (30-3) and No. 14 Marquette (28-6) open regional play on Friday at 11 a.m.
Semifinal winners face off on Saturday at 3 p.m. live on ESPNU for the right to advance to the 2018 NCAA Championship at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
AVCA All-Northeast Region
Honorable Mention
Player of the Year: Jordyn Poulter, Illinois, S
Freshman of the Year: Jonni Parker, Penn State, RS
Coach of the Year: Chris Tamas, Illinois
*Denotes total number of years selected to AVCA All-Region team
Sophomores Dana Rettke and Sydney Hilley along with redshirt junior Madison Duello were named to the all-region team, while junior Tiffany Clark and senior Tionna Williams earned honorable mention recognition.
All five players will now be eligible for AVCA All-America honors, which will be announced on Dec. 12.
Rettke, a 2018 unanimous All-Big Ten pick, currently leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth nationally with a hitting percentage of .415. The 6-foot-8 middle blocker also leads the conference and ranks sixth nationally with 1.55 blocks per set while ranking seventh in the league with 3.71 kills per set. Rettke was named the AVCA National Player of the Week on Oct. 22 and the Big Ten Player of the Week on Oct. 22 and Nov. 5.
The Riverside, Illinois, native has led the Badgers in kills in a team-best 18 matches this season and in blocks in a team-best 22 matches. She has recorded double-figure kills in 22 matches this season, including 20-plus kills in three matches. Rettke tallied a career-high 30 kills in only four sets vs. Minnesota on Oct. 31. The 2017 Big Ten Freshman of the year, Rettke also has double-figure blocks in three matches this season, tallying three double-doubles. She had a career-high 11 blocks at Penn State on Nov. 24.
A 6-foot setter, Hilley leads the Big Ten and ranks fifth in the nation with 11.94 assists per set. She has registered more than 50 assists in eight matches this season, including a career-high 61 assists at Penn State on Nov. 24. Hilley was named the Big Ten Setter of the Week three times in 2018 and was also named the Player of the Week on Nov. 19. She earned her first All-Big Ten honor this season.
The Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, native also adds 2.45 digs per set, which ties for third on the team. Hilley has a team-best 15 double-doubles this season, including seven in the last eight matches. She also ranks second on the team with 29 service aces (0.26 per set) while adding 0.65 kills and 0.70 blocks per set.
Duello is one of the most improved players in the Big Ten this season, earning her first All-Big Ten honor this season. The 6-foot-3 right-side hitter ranks second on UW this year with 2.75 kills per set, an improvement of 0.80 per set. She also upped her hitting percentage from .268 in 2017 to .291 in 2018, an increase of .023 points.
The Kansas City, Missouri, native has recorded double-figure kills in 14 matches this season, including a career-high 24 kills at Penn State on Nov. 24. Duello also ranks fourth on the Badgers with 17 service aces (0.16/set) while adding 0.92 digs and 0.74 blocks per set.
Clark, a 5-foot-11 libero, leads the Badgers and ranks fifth in the Big Ten with 4.46 digs per set. She has recorded double-figure digs in 26 matches, including seven matches with 20-or-more saves. The Naperville, Illinois, native had a career-high 33 digs at Michigan on Oct. 26. Clark has led Wisconsin in digs in a team-best 21 matches. She also adds 13 service aces or 0.12 aces per set.
A 6-foot-2 middle blocker, Williams is the only senior on the UW team and is playing her best ball of the season in the NCAA tournament. The Fort Wayne, Indiana, native is hitting a team best .514 (21 kills – 3 errors – 35 total attempts) through two NCAA matches while averaging 3.00 kills per set. She also adds 1.00 blocks per set.
On the season, Williams ranks second on the team and eighth in the Big Ten with a .346 hitting percentage. She also ranks second on the team with 0.88 blocks per set while ranking fifth on the team with 1.94 kills per set. Williams has 10-or-more kills in seven matches this season and has led the team in kills in two matches and in blocks in 10 matches.
Five all-region honors tie the UW record for most recognitions in a season, tying the marks set in 2014 and 2016.
For the sixth-straight year, Wisconsin has advanced to regional play of the NCAA tournament. The sixth-seeded Badgers (24-6) take on San Diego (18-12) in the regional semifinals on Friday at 1:30 p.m. from Huff Hall in Champaign, Illinois. The match will be streamed live on ESPN3. No. 3-seed Illinois (30-3) and No. 14 Marquette (28-6) open regional play on Friday at 11 a.m.
Semifinal winners face off on Saturday at 3 p.m. live on ESPNU for the right to advance to the 2018 NCAA Championship at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
AVCA All-Northeast Region
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherridan Atkinson** | Purdue | RS | RS-Sr. |
| Ali Bastianelli*** | Illinois | MB | Sr. |
| Madison Duello | Wisconsin | RS | RS-Jr. |
| Sydney Hilley | Wisconsin | S | So. |
| Kaitlyn Hord | Penn State | MB | Fr. |
| Blake Mohler | Purdue | MB | RS-Jr. |
| Jonni Parker | Penn State | RS | Fr. |
| Jordyn Poulter*** | Illinois | S | Sr. |
| Jacqueline Quade | Illinois | OH | Jr. |
| Nia Reed | Penn State | OH | RS-Sr. |
| Dana Rettke** | Wisconsin | MB | So. |
| Kallie Seimet** | Bowling Green | L | Sr. |
| Bryanna Weiskircher | Penn State | S | RS-Sr. |
| Kendall White** | Penn State | L | Jr. |
Honorable Mention
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiffany Clark | Wisconsin | L | Jr. |
| Serena Gray | Penn State | MB | Fr. |
| Haley Libs | Northern Kentucky | OH | Sr. |
| Maggie O'Connell | Princeton | RS | Jr. |
| Devon Peterkin | Princeton | OH | Jr. |
| Tionna Williams | Wisconsin | MB | Sr. |
Player of the Year: Jordyn Poulter, Illinois, S
Freshman of the Year: Jonni Parker, Penn State, RS
Coach of the Year: Chris Tamas, Illinois
*Denotes total number of years selected to AVCA All-Region team
Players Mentioned
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