WAYNE – Following another set of weekend invitational wins, the Wayne State College volleyball team had a busy past few days of off-the-court news.
In the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll Monday, the ‘Cats are up three spots to #19 with their 8-0 non-conference record.
Cal State San Bernardino at 7-0 (35 first place votes) moved up a spot to #1 as Tampa fell all the way to #13 (4-4).
Other NSIC teams joining WSC are #4 Minnesota Duluth at 7-1 who moved up a spot (one first place vote); T-6th Concordia-St. Paul (6-2) up four spots; #8 Northern State (7-1) down one spot; #9 Southwest Minnesota State (6-2) up six spots as #24 Sioux Falls (8-0) and #25 Upper Iowa (8-0) moved into the Top 25. St. Cloud State (95), Winona State (76) and Augustana University (4) were all receiving votes and listed on two or more ballots.
WSC won all four matches this past weekend at the Shark II Invitational in Fort Lauderdale, Florida topping Belmont Abbey College, Grand Valley State, Florida Tech and Southern New Hampshire. Wayne State also had three players named to the All-Tournament Team by the host school Nova Southeastern late Saturday afternoon.
Wildcat senior middle hitter Tarrin Beller was tabbed as the Most Valuable Player while freshman outside hitter Kelsie Cada and freshman setter Rachel Walker both received All-Tournament Team honors.
Beller, a 6-0 senior middle hitter from Humphrey (Humphrey HS), averaged 3.08 kills and 1.75 blocks per set while posting a stellar attack percentage of .532 in four WSC sweeps at the tournament. She posted a weekend-best 13 kills and five blocks, hitting .632 in a 3-0 win over Southern New Hampshire. Beller also recorded 11 kills and six blocks in a 3-0 victory over Grand Valley State. She had at least five blocks in all four matches and hit .532 in the four matches with 37 kills and just four errors on 62 attacks.
Another note for Tarrin Beller was that she received the NSIC defensive player of the week honors Monday afternoon announced by the league office in Burnsville, Minnesota.
Cada, a 6-0 freshman outside hitter from Wahoo (Bishop Neumann HS), averaged 3.25 kills and 3.17 digs per set in the four Wildcat wins with one double-double. She had 13 kills and 15 digs in a 3-0 win over Southern New Hampshire with a .545 attack percentage. Cada also notched 10 kills with eight digs in a 3-0 win over Belmont Abbey College.
Walker, a 5-9 redshirt freshman setter from Lincoln (Southwest HS), produced 10.42 assists, 2.25 digs and 0.92 blocks per set during the weekend. She handed out a weekend-best 35 assists with nine digs and five blocks in Friday’s 3-0 sweep over Belmont Abbey and had 33 set assists with five digs and three blocks in a 3-0 win over Southern New Hampshire.
WSC opens Northern Sun Conference play on the road this weekend visiting MSU Moorhead Friday at 6 p.m. and #8 Northern State Saturday at 2 p.m.