CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) announced the 2024 Volleyball All-Conference and special awards winners on Tuesday.
Earning the title of Player of the Year for the third year in a row is
Grace Ward (Edgewood, Ky.) from Transylvania University. The fifth year senior had an excellent season with the Pioneers, helping to lead them to an unblemished 9-0 record for conference play. The setter averaged 11.59 assists in conference play, leading the league while finding herself in the top-3 in the league for service aces averaging .55 per set. Ward had an impressive 336 assists while averaging 2.41 digs per set in HCAC play.
Leading the league defensively and picking up the title of Defensive Player of the Year for her third time, from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, was
Lily Ebright (Wichita, Kan.). In 2024, Ebright led the league in digs per set with a 8.03 average in conference play and a 7.24 average overall, which has her ranked as #1 in the country for digs per set and total digs with 782. Lily has been ranked #1 across NCAA Division III for almost the entirety of the season, but she is also currently ranked #1 in these categories across all 3 NCAA divisions. She has been named the HCAC Defensive Player of the week four times in 2024 and also finds herself in the HCAC Top-10 for service aces averaging .38 per set.
The HCAC recognizes an athlete in their first year of athletic competition who stands out, and in a vote of league coaches, Anderson University’s
Jayda Lanham (Venice, Fla.) was selected as the Newcomer of the Year. The outside hitter leads the league in kills with 138 and 26 total services aces averaging .68 per set during conference play.
After leading the Spartans to a 6-3 record in conference play, Manchester’s
Ivan Matos was named the 2024 HCAC Coach of the Year. Matos helped guide Manchester to the No. 3 seed in the 2024 Championship Tournament and a 16-10 overall record.
Player of the Year: Grace Ward, Transylvania University
Defensive Player of the Year: Lily Ebright, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Newcomer of the Year: Jayda Lanham, Anderson University
Coach of the Year: Ivan Matos, Manchester University
The HCAC also honors an All-Conference First Team and Second Team, as well as a first year team that includes the top players who have first year academic status. The members of those teams are selected by a vote of league coaches and are listed below.
All Conference First Team (14)
| Name |
POS |
Institution |
| Avery Ball |
OH |
Manchester University |
| Caylee Brandes |
RS |
Earlham College |
| Jasmine Butler |
S |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Lily Ebright |
DS/L |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Kayden Holcomb |
MB |
Transylvania University |
| Reece Kral |
MH |
Anderson University |
| Liv Kyrk |
MH |
Earlham College |
| Jayda Lanham |
OH |
Anderson University |
| Elliot Mays |
OH |
Hanover College |
| Isabella Myers |
RS |
Transylvania University |
| Cate Scheper |
OH |
Transylvania University |
| Molly Schwarzkopf |
MB |
Hanover College |
| Emma Sicking |
OH |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Grace Ward |
S |
Transylvania University |
All Conference Second Team (14)
| Name |
POS |
Institution |
| Chloei Barnett |
OH |
Bluffton University |
| Madison Bizjak |
L |
Earlham College |
| Deanna De La Torre |
OH |
Berea College |
| Amaya Harrell |
MH |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Lily Lichtenbarger |
MB |
Manchester University |
| Joy Maze |
OH/RS |
Manchester University |
| Abbey McCoy |
OH |
Hanover College |
| Keira Ohse |
MH |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Paige Ricica |
OH |
Anderson University |
| Taylor Ridge |
MH |
Anderson University |
| Trinity Schroeder |
MH |
Franklin College |
| Jessie Stenger |
RS |
Hanover College |
| Jessica Tarr |
RS |
Manchester University |
| Grace Wilking |
DS/L |
Mount St. Joseph University |
First-Year Team (6)
| Name |
POS |
Institution |
| Miranda Aubrey |
RS |
Mount St. Joseph University |
| Lilly Kaiser |
MB |
Transylvania University |
| Jayda Lanham |
OH |
Anderson University |
| Keira Ohse |
MH |
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology |
| Madison Schicker |
L/DS |
Hanover College |
| Blythe Young |
S |
Anderson University |
For more information on HCAC Women's Volleyball, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the HCAC's home on the internet at www.heartlandconf.org. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference news by following @HCACDIII on Twitter and by liking the "HCAC DIII" Facebook page.