Photo by: Julia Kostopoulos
Rettke named AVCA Regional Player of the Year
December 07, 2021 | Volleyball
Four Badgers earn All-Region honors
MADISON, Wis. – For the third-straight season, Dana Rettke of the Wisconsin volleyball team has been named the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Northeast Regional Player of the Year, the organization announced on Tuesday.
Rettke also earns her fifth-straight first-team all-region selection and was joined the first team by teammates Lauren Barnes and Sydney Hilley. Sophomore Devyn Robinson earned honorable mention accolades.
All four athletes will now be up for AVCA All-America honors.
Rettke named first-team All-Big Ten
A 6-foot-8 middle blocker, Rettke is just of one of two five-team first-team All-Big Ten honorees. She currently leads the Big Ten and ranks third nationally with a .445 hitting percentage. Rettke also ranks second in the Big Ten and sixth nationally with 1.40 blocks per set, and leads the Badgers with 3.47 kills per set.
Barnes, Hilley earn first-team honors
Barnes earns her second-straight first-team all-region award while Hilley is a four-time first-team honoree.
Barnes earned second-team All-Big Ten honors this season, ranking eighth in the Big Ten with 4.32 digs per set. Â In Big Ten-only matches, the 5-foot-8 libero ranked fifth with 4.54 digs per set. The Naperville, Illinois, native also ranks second on the UW team with 31 service aces, averaging 0.29 per set. Â She also has an impressive .951 reception percentage, getting aced only 21 times in 427 receptions.
Hilley is the first three-time Big Ten Setter of the Year since the award was begun in 2012, leading the nation with 12.04 assists per set. She has set the Badgers to a Big Ten-leading .296 hitting percentage, which ranks seventh nationally. The 6-foot
setter is averaging season bests of 2.53 digs per set, recording a team-best 11 double-doubles this season, and 0.72 blocks per set.
Robinson named honorable mention
Robinson, who started the season on the right side and moved to middle blocker after the injury to Danielle Hart, ranks second on the team and sixth in the Big Ten with a .355 hitting percentage. The 6-foot-2 Robinson ranks fourth on the Badgers with 2.43 kills per set while adding 0.94 blocks per set.
Badgers host NCAA Madison Regional
For the ninth straight year, Wisconsin competes in the NCAA Regional semifinals. The Badgers host regional play for the fifth time in program history, hosting the Madison Regional on Thursday and Saturday in the UW Field House. No. 5 Baylor (22-5) takes on No. 12 Minnesota (21-8) in the first regional semifinal at 2 p.m., on Thursday. The fourth-seeded Badgers (27-3) face No. 13 UCLA (25-5) in the second regional semifinal at 4 p.m.
Semifinal winners advance to play in the regional final on Saturday at 7 p.m. All matches air live on ESPNU.
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Northeast Region Player of the Year: Dana Rettke, University of Wisconsin, MB, Gr.
Northeast Region Freshman of the Year: Arica Davis, Ohio State University, MB
Northeast Region Coach of the Year: Dave Shondell, Purdue University
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Rettke also earns her fifth-straight first-team all-region selection and was joined the first team by teammates Lauren Barnes and Sydney Hilley. Sophomore Devyn Robinson earned honorable mention accolades.
All four athletes will now be up for AVCA All-America honors.
Rettke named first-team All-Big Ten
A 6-foot-8 middle blocker, Rettke is just of one of two five-team first-team All-Big Ten honorees. She currently leads the Big Ten and ranks third nationally with a .445 hitting percentage. Rettke also ranks second in the Big Ten and sixth nationally with 1.40 blocks per set, and leads the Badgers with 3.47 kills per set.
Barnes, Hilley earn first-team honors
Barnes earns her second-straight first-team all-region award while Hilley is a four-time first-team honoree.
Barnes earned second-team All-Big Ten honors this season, ranking eighth in the Big Ten with 4.32 digs per set. Â In Big Ten-only matches, the 5-foot-8 libero ranked fifth with 4.54 digs per set. The Naperville, Illinois, native also ranks second on the UW team with 31 service aces, averaging 0.29 per set. Â She also has an impressive .951 reception percentage, getting aced only 21 times in 427 receptions.
Hilley is the first three-time Big Ten Setter of the Year since the award was begun in 2012, leading the nation with 12.04 assists per set. She has set the Badgers to a Big Ten-leading .296 hitting percentage, which ranks seventh nationally. The 6-foot
setter is averaging season bests of 2.53 digs per set, recording a team-best 11 double-doubles this season, and 0.72 blocks per set.
Robinson named honorable mention
Robinson, who started the season on the right side and moved to middle blocker after the injury to Danielle Hart, ranks second on the team and sixth in the Big Ten with a .355 hitting percentage. The 6-foot-2 Robinson ranks fourth on the Badgers with 2.43 kills per set while adding 0.94 blocks per set.
Badgers host NCAA Madison Regional
For the ninth straight year, Wisconsin competes in the NCAA Regional semifinals. The Badgers host regional play for the fifth time in program history, hosting the Madison Regional on Thursday and Saturday in the UW Field House. No. 5 Baylor (22-5) takes on No. 12 Minnesota (21-8) in the first regional semifinal at 2 p.m., on Thursday. The fourth-seeded Badgers (27-3) face No. 13 UCLA (25-5) in the second regional semifinal at 4 p.m.
Semifinal winners advance to play in the regional final on Saturday at 7 p.m. All matches air live on ESPNU.
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| Â 2021 AVCA All-Northeast Region | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | School | Pos. | Yr. |
| Lauren Barnes | University of Wisconsin | L | Gr. |
| Hayley Bush | Purdue University | S | Sr. |
| Grace Cleveland | Purdue University | OPP | Sr. |
| Megan Cooney | University of Illinois | OPP | Gr. |
| Sydney Hilley | University of Wisconsin | S | Gr. |
| Kaitlyn Hord | Penn State University | MB | Sr. |
| Petra Indrova | Bowling Green State University | OPP | Jr. |
| Emily Londot | Ohio State University | OPP | So. |
| Caitlyn Newton | Purdue University | OH | Gr. |
| Jenna Otec | Purdue University | L | Gr. |
| Jonni Parker | Penn State University | OPP | Sr. |
| Mac Podraza | Ohio State University | S | Jr. |
| Rylee Rader | Ohio State University | MB | So. |
| Dana Rettke | University of Wisconsin | MB | Gr. |
| Â Honorable Mention | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | School | Pos. | Yr. |
| Anna Brinkmann | Northern Kentucky University | OH | Sr. |
| Leanna Deegan | Lafayette College | OH | Sr. |
| Jenna Hampton | Penn State University | L | Sr. |
| Kylie Murr | Ohio State University | L | Jr. |
| Devyn Robinson | University of Wisconsin | MB | So. |
| Jenna Story | Wright State University | L | Sr. |
| Madi Tyus | St. Francis University | OH | Sr. |
Northeast Region Player of the Year: Dana Rettke, University of Wisconsin, MB, Gr.
Northeast Region Freshman of the Year: Arica Davis, Ohio State University, MB
Northeast Region Coach of the Year: Dave Shondell, Purdue University
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Players Mentioned
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