INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – After capturing the program's fourth Horizon League Regular Season championship, the Cleveland State volleyball team picked up multiple postseason accolades from the Horizon League Tuesday afternoon, including Grace Kauth earning Player and Offensive Player of the Year, Gina Kilner being tabbed the Setter of the Year, Sara Skeens earning Co-Freshman of the Year, and Chuck Voss being named the Co-Coach of the Year.
The Vikings, who enter the Horizon League Tournament with an overall record of 23-5, had two additional honorees, as Alexis Middlebrooks was named to the All-Horizon League First Team and Aaliyah Slappy was named to the All-Horizon League Honorable Mention Team.
GRACE KAUTH | OH | SR | PLAYER & OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Entering the Horizon League Tournament, Kauth leads the Vikings with 379 total kills this season and ranks second on the team with 292 total digs. Kauth, who ranks second in the Horizon League averaging 3.61 kills per set, is one of only two players in the league to record 375 kills and 275 digs this season. Kauth has tallied 22 double-digit kill matches this season, including three 20-kill performances. She has also notched 14 double-doubles on the year, with seven coming against league opponents.
Earlier this season Kauth became the sixth Viking all-time to record 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs, entering the Horizon League Tournament ranked third in the CSU Career Record book with 1,419 kills and fifth with 1,200 digs. She also ranks in the top-10 in five other categories, including kills per set, a category in which she ranks sixth with a 3.18 average.
Kauth is the fourth Viking to earn Player of the Year honors, and the first since Kara Koch picked up the accolade during the 2012 season. Kauth also earned a spot on the All-League First Team for the third straight season, becoming the sixth Viking to be a three-time All-League First Team honoree. Kauth, who was named to the All-Newcomer Team as a freshman, has now picked up a postseason honor from the Horizon League during all four years of her collegiate career.
GINA KILNER | S | JR | SETTER OF THE YEAR
For the season, Kilner has tallied 1,125 assists, averaging 10.71 helpers per set. Kilner has appeared in every set this season, and ranks second in the Horizon League with her 10.71 assists per set average.
Last week, Kilner became the sixth Viking all-time to eclipse the 3,000-assist mark for her career, and enters the Horizon League Tournament ranked sixth in the CSU Career Record book with 3,072 career helpers.
Kilner is the first Viking to earn Setter of the Year honors, and picks up First Team All-Horizon League accolades for the first time in her career. This marks her second postseason honor from the Horizon League, as she was also named to the All-Newcomer team as a freshman.
SARA SKEENS | OH | FR | CO-FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Entering the Horizon League Tournament, Skeens is one of just three freshmen in the Horizon League to have more than 200 kills on the season, as she enters the weekend with 239 total kills. Skeens, who ranks third on the team averaging 2.54 kills per set, has notched double-digit kills during 14 matches this season, including a season-high of 17 at Northern Kentucky.
Skeens has played in all but two matches this season – missing the Milwaukee and UIC match due to injury – and has been a large part of the Viking offense that leads the league in hitting percentage (.255) and kills (13.85).
Skeens is the fifth Viking to be named Freshman of the Year, and the first since the 2007 season when Amy Benz picked up the accolade. Skeens is also the 17th Viking to earn a spot on the All-Freshman Team.
ALEXIS MIDDLEBROOKS | MH | JR | ALL-HORIZON LEAGUE FIRST TEAM
Entering the Horizon League Tournament, Middlebrooks ranks second on the team with 282 total kills, and ranks fifth in the Horizon League with a .316 hitting percentage. Middlebrooks, who has tallied double-digit kills 16 times this year, is averaging 2.69 kills per set. Middlebrooks has also been one of the top blockers in the league, ranking ninth among league players averaging 1.05 blocks per set.
Earlier this season Middlebrooks eclipsed the 300-block mark for her career, and enters the Horizon League Tournament with 338 total blocks. Middlebrooks also eclipsed the 300-block assist mark for her career last time out, entering the weekend ranked seventh in the CSU Career Record book with 301 block assists.
AALIYAH SLAPPY | MH | SR | HONORABLE MENTION ALL-HORIZON LEAGUE
Throughout the season Slappy has been one of the best blockers in the Horizon League, averaging 1.10 blocks per set – a mark that ranks her fourth among league players. She has 109 total blocks on the year, and has notched four or more blocks during 13 matches, including a career-high 10-block performance against Milwaukee. Slappy has also been one of the most efficient attackers in the league, ranking second with a .354 hitting percentage after posting 173 kills and averaging 1.75 kills per set.
Earlier this season, Slappy recorded the 300th total block of her career, and enters the Horizon League Tournament with 326 career blocks. Slappy also enters the weekend ranked ninth in the CSU Career Record book with 284 block assists, needing just five more block assists to move into eighth place on the list.
Slappy is earning postseason honors from the Horizon League for the first time in her career, and is the 25th Viking to earn postseason accolades under head coach Chuck Voss.
CHUCK VOSS | HEAD COACH | 17th SEASON | CO-COACH OF THE YEAR
Earlier this year, Voss led the Vikings to their fourth Horizon League Regular Season championship – and their second straight title – and will take the Vikings into the Horizon League Tournament as the No. 1 seed for the fourth time during his tenure. Cleveland State notched its seventh 20-win season under Voss earlier this year, entering the tournament with a 23-5 overall record.
During non-league play, Voss became the all-time winningest coach in program history, and recorded his 300th career victory at Cleveland State.
Voss picks up Horizon League Coach of the Year honors for the fifth time during his tenure at Cleveland State, also earning the accolade during the 2005, 2009, 2012, and 2015 seasons.
2016 Horizon League Postseason Awards
Player of the Year: Grace Kauth, Cleveland State
Offensive Player of the Year: Grace Kauth, Cleveland State
Defensive Player of the Year: Morganne Longoria, Valparaiso
Setter of the Year: Gina Kilner, Cleveland State
Co-Freshmen of the Year: Bridget Wallenberger, Milwaukee & Sara Skeens, Cleveland State
Co-Coaches of the Year: Chuck Voss, Cleveland State & Sean Burdette, Green Bay
First Team All-League
Grace Kauth, Cleveland State
Lydia DeWeese, Green Bay
Haley Libs, Northern Kentucky
Alexis Middlebrooks, Cleveland State
Keely Creamer, Northern Kentucky
Morganne Longoria, Valparaiso
Gina Kilner, Cleveland State
Megan Powers, Green Bay
Kelsie Groot, UIC
Taylor Snyder, Northern Kentucky
Sammy Condon, Oakland
Bridget Wallenberger, Milwaukee
Honorable Mention All-League
Emily Campbell, Valparaiso
Aaliyah Slappy, Cleveland State
Melissa Deatsch, Oakland
Jessica Dood, Oakland
Val Jeffery, Youngstown State
Katie Klusman, Wright State
All-Freshman Team
Bridget Wallenberger, Milwaukee
Sara Skeens, Cleveland State
Maddie Yoss, Green Bay
Jenn Dore, Milwaukee
Jordan Lentz, Oakland
Kylie Wilks, Milwaukee
Laura Crawford, Northern Kentucky
