All-WIAC Women’s Volleyball Honorees Include area grads Baierl(Columbus Catholic), Michalske(Wausau West) and Wardall(Merrill)

Baierl also received first team honors in 2019. She is the fifth Blugold to receive a player of the honor, joining Abby Freiborg (2008), Liz Amici (2011), Anne Satterlee (2012) and Madelyn Pashibin (2018). Baierl leads the conference with a .411 hitting percentage, while ranking second with 104 total blocks and seventh with 3.26 points per set. She has reached double-digits in kills in 11 matches, including a season-high 20 against UW-Platteville on Oct. 30. In the same match, Bairl produced a season-best 22 points.Jensen’s selection marks the fourth time in seven seasons that UW-Whitewater has produced the Defensive Player of the Year winner. She joins previous winners Kelsey Nobilio (2014) and Brittany Robinson (2017 and 2018). Jensen landed on the All-Defensive Team and All-Conference Team for the second time in her career (2019). She is second in the WIAC with 4.91 digs per set, and registered at least 20 digs in six contests with a season-high 29 against Greenville University (Ill.) on Oct. 9.

Kopp was one of two freshmen represented on the first team. She leads the WIAC with 482 kills, 56 service aces and 556 points, while ranking ninth with 3.18 digs per set. A Newcomer of the Year is defined as a student-athlete who used her first season of participation in women’s volleyball this season. Transfers are not eligible unless they did not compete in women’s volleyball while attending that institution.

Repeat selections on the first team from the 2019 campaign included: UW-Eau Claire’s Arianna Barrett and UW-La Crosse’s Emma Lawrence. Barrett, Lawrence and UW-Whitewater’s Erin McNeil received first team distinction in 2018.

UW-Eau Claire’s Taylor Scalia joined Jensen as repeat selections on the all-defensive team from the 2019 campaign.

Wudi secured the coaching honor for the fourth time in her career. She has guided the Blugolds to a 29-3 overall record. UW-Eau Claire won the seventh regular-season championship in program history.

An All-Sportsmanship Team was chosen for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each school.2021 All-WIAC Women’s Volleyball Team
Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)
Kaite Asche, Platteville, Senior, Middle Blocker, Pecatonica, Ill. (Durand)
Kendra Baierl, Eau Claire, Senior, Middle Blocker, Marshfield, Wis. (Columbus Catholic)
Arianna Barrett, Eau Claire, Senior, Rightside Hitter, Lakeville, Minn. (North)
Morgan Jensen, Whitewater, Junior, Libero, Sun Prairie, Wis. (Sun Prairie)
Riley Kindt, Oshkosh, Freshman, Middle Blocker/Outside Hitter, Brookfield, Wis. (East)
Ashley Kopp, Stevens Point, Freshman, Outside Hitter, Muskego, Wis. (Muskego)
Emma Lawrence, La Crosse, Senior, Outside Hitter, Benton, Wis. (Benton)
Erin McNeil, Whitewater, Senior, Rightside Hitter, Crystal Lake, Ill. (Prairie Ridge)
Charlie Nelson, Eau Claire, Sophomore, Setter, Lakeville, Minn. (Farmington)
Carissa Sundholm, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Outside Hitter, Muskego, Wis. (Wisconsin Lutheran)
Morgan Wardall, Whitewater, Senior, Middle Hitter, Merrill, Wis. (Merrill)
Jenna Weinfurt, Whitewater, Sophomore, Outside Hitter, Waukesha, Wis. (Catholic Memorial)

Honorable Mention
Makenzie Bachmann, Eau Claire, Senior, Outside Hitter, Chaska, Minn. (Chaska)
Sami Hilley, River Falls, Sophomore, Middle Blocker, Champlin Park, Minn. (Park)
Sidney Hoverman, Stout, Sophomore, Outside Hitter, St. Croix Falls, Wis. (St. Croix Falls)
Amelia Hust, Oshkosh, Freshman, Libero, Verona, Wis. (Verona)
Katie Koerper, River Falls, Senior, Outside Hitter, Hammond, Wis. (St. Croix Central)
Olivia Kudronowicz, Platteville, Senior, Outside Hitter, Muskego, Wis. (Muskego)
Grace Michalske, Stevens Point, Freshman, Setter, Wausau, Wis. (West)
Lexie Nelson, Stout, Senior, Setter, St. Michael, Minn. (St. Michael-Albertville)
Anna Rossner, La Crosse, Junior, Middle Blocker, Wauwatosa, Wis. (East)
Jordan Witzel, Eau Claire, Junior, Outside Hitter, Woodbury, Minn. (East Ridge)

All-Defensive Team
Morgan Jensen, Whitewater, Junior, Libero, Sun Prairie, Wis. (Sun Prairie)
Emma Peterson, Stevens Point, Senior, Libero, Bloomington, Minn. (Thomas Jefferson)
Taylor Scalia, Eau Claire, Senior, Libero, Lake Elmo, Minn. (Stillwater)
Brooke Voigt, River Falls, Junior, Libero, Slinger, Wis. (Kettle Moraine Lutheran)

All-Sportsmanship Team
Elise Banitt, Stout, Senior, Rightside Hitter, Prescott, Wis. (River Falls)
Johni Bunkers, Whitewater, Junior, Outside Hitter, Wildwood, Mo. (St. Joseph’s Academy)
Corynne Dahl, River Falls, Senior, Middle Blocker, Kenyon, Minn. (Kenyon-Wanamingo)
Emily Jenewein, La Crosse, Senior, Setter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Southwest)
Emma Kiekhofer, Oshkosh, Senior, Setter, Elm Grove, Wis. (Brookfield East)
Guresi Mena, Stevens Point, Senior, Middle Blocker, Inver Grove Heights, Minn. (Simley)
Lita Solbrig, Platteville, Senior, Middle Blocker, Bettendorf, Iowa (Bettendorf)
Erika Stensland, Eau Claire, Senior, Outside Hitter, Golden Valley, Minn. (West Lutheran)

Offensive Player of the Year:  Kendra Baierl of Eau Claire
Defensive Player of the Year:  Morgan Jensen of Whitewater
Newcomer of the Year:  Ashley Kopp of Stevens Point
Coach of the Year:  Kim Wudi of Eau Claire