ST. PAUL – The preseason fourth-ranked University of Northwestern volleyball team has been voted as the unanimous favorite to repeat as Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) champions. The Eagles – who advanced to their first-ever NCAA Division III Final Four in 2016 – received 64 points in the pole. Minnesota Morris followed with its 56 tallies.
View the complete UMAC release
here.
University of Northwestern
Beth Wilmeth | 14th Season|
2016 Season
8-0 UMAC, 34-5 Overall | 1st |
Postseason: 2016 UMAC Postseason Champions (Win vs. Martin Luther 3-0; Win vs. Minnesota Morris, 3-0); Advanced to NCAA National Semi-Final (Win vs. St. Norbert, 3-0; Win vs. #15 UW-Lacrosse, 3-0; Win vs. #1 California Lutheran, 3-2; Win vs. #13 Eastern 3-2; Loss to #2 Calvin 0-3)
Top Returners
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Lindsey Peterson (Sheffield, Iowa/West Fork), Sr., OH | 2016, 2015 UMAC POY; 2015 Defensive POY; 2016, 2015, 2014 All-UMAC; 2014 ROY | 2016 AVCA National Player of the Year; 2016 AVCA First-Team All-American, 2015 AVCA All-American HM | 4.73 k/s, 4.43 d/s, 33 aces, 67 blocks |
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Leesa Malone (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie), Sr., S | 2016 All-UMAC | 5.15 asst/s, 1.33 k/s, 102 blocks |
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Jackie Doering (Charles City, Iowa/Charles City), Sr., L | 2016 All-UMAC, 2015 All-UMAC HM | 2016 AVCA All-Region HM | 5.09 d/s |
Need to Know
In 2016, the Eagles earned their seventh-straight trip to the NCAA tournament, finishing at the NCAA Final 4 for the first time in program history. Head Coach
Beth Wilmeth was named the 2016 AVCA National Coach of the Year, and
Lindsey Peterson (Sheffield, Iowa/West Fork) was named the 2016 AVCA National Player of the Year.
