| 2006 KCAC & NAIA Honors
Miller
and Morgan named Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes
Jessica Miller, junior from
St. John, Kan., and Amanda Morgan, senior from Ogallala, Neb., were
recently named NAIA/Daktronics volleyball Scholar-Athletes for the
2006 season.
 Morgan
has been a two-year starter for McPherson, after transferring to
McPherson from Chadron State College of Nebraska. A 2003 graduate
of Ogallala High School , Amanda was a member of the 2005 academic
All-KCAC team. Morgan is majoring in English.
“Mandy
is a very talented young lady,” said McPherson College head
coach Nathalea Stephenson. “She is not
only a good player, but also a very good student.”
“Mandy's love of literature
is evident in her writing books. She is the one many students have
gone to for help in writing, or to have their essays read and mistakes
corrected. This is the first time in my tenure at McPherson College
to have an Scholar-Athlete and we are very proud of her.”
 Miller
has been a three-year starter for the Lady Bulldogs. A 2004 graduate
of St. John High School, Jessica is majoring in biology. Miller
was a member of the academic All-KCAC team as a sophomore. She led
the 2006 Lady Bulldogs in kills with 311 and topped McPherson with
a 92.44% serve average and 96.38% serve reception rate.
“Jessica is the first junior
volleyball player to be named a Scholar-Athlete from McPherson College,”
said Stephenson. “The work ethic that Jessica brings to the court
is the same work ethic she exhibits in the class room.”
“Her major is biology and
it takes a lot of self-discipline to maintain a high grade point
average in her field of study. That self-discipline is also
seen on the court.”
Recipients of the Daktronics-NAIA
Scholar-Athlete award must have a minimum grade point average of
3.50 on a 4.00 scale, be a junior or above in academic standings,
and been in attendance at the nominating institution a minimum of
one full school year.
*****
Stephenson
receives All-Region IV honors
McPherson College senior
Kendra Stephenson has been named to the 2006 NAIA All-Region IV
women's volleyball second team.
 This
marks the second time Stephenson, a 2003 graduate of Salina (Kan.)
Central High School, has been named to the All-Region IV second
team, following her selection for regional honors in 2005.
Kendra was named to the All-KCAC
first team as a setter earlier this fall, the second time she received
that recognition after being named to the All-KCAC honorable mention
squad as a sophomore.
Stephenson led the KCAC in
assists per game for the second straight season, averaging 10.69
after totaling 1,121. 2006 was her third straight season with
more than 1,000 assists after totaling 1,210 as a sophomore and
1,141 as a junior.
Kendra will graduate in May
with school records for assists in a match (63 vs St. Xavier in
2004), season records for games played (126 in 2004), service aces
(59 in 2004), and total assists (1,210 in 2004), and career records
for games played (462), service aces (185), and total assists (4,082).
The daughter of Tim and Nathalea
Stephenson of Salina, Kan., Kendra is an accounting and business
finance major.
“It is an honor for Kendra
to be named to the second team All-Region IV again this year, “said
head coach Nathalea Stephenson.
“As a senior, she has been
a very important part of this team with the leadership qualities
she possesses. Her love for the game shows with how seriously she
takes each and every point that is being played. She played each
game as if it were her last and when the match was over, everything
has been left on the court.”
“Kendra
is a very unselfish player who puts the needs of her teammates before
her own. As a setter, she does a nice job of moving the ball around
and involving all of our hitters.”
“This is the second time
Kendra has won this award, and not only it is an honor for her,
but she would say it is an honor for our program and what this team
and program is really about.”
*****
Four
Bulldog spikers named All-KCAC
McPherson College junior
Jessica Miller and senior Kendra Stephenson were named to the 2006
All-KCAC (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) women's volleyball
first team in a vote by the conference's coaches.
Named to the All-KCAC second
team were senior Jennifer Marquette and junior Nikki MacKay.
“I was very pleased with
the overcome of the coaches' vote,” said Nathalea Stephenson, McPherson
College head volleyball coach. “The respect that our team is getting
in the conference, I believe, is very evident by the all-league
selections.”
Kendra
Stephenson, a 2003 graduate of Salina ( Kan. ) Central
High School , was named to the All-KCAC first team as a setter for
the second time as a setter after being named to the All-KCAC honorable
mention squad as a sophmore. Stephenson led the KCAC in assists
per game, averaging 10.69, for the second straight year as she totaled
more than 1,000 each season. Her 1,039 assists this season bettered
her junior total of 1,001. One of five repeat selections from the
2005 All-KCAC first team, Stephenson was named KCAC “Setter of the
Week” in mid-September. Kendra is the daughter of Tim and Nathalea
Stephenson of Salina, Kan. She is an accounting and business finance
major. .
“It is a great honor for
Kendra to be the only setter named to the All-KCAC first team, and
for our team,” said head coach Nathalea Stephenson. “She led the
conference in assists and that is quite an accomplishment.”
“Kendra has been a starter
all four years and has done a wonderful job of running our offense.
A very unselfish player, she is one to put the success of others
ahead of her own.”
“During her time at McPherson
College , Kendra has set many records for our team, ones that I'm
sure will be around for a while. She has a love for the game that
you don't always see in players and I believe that is why she is
successful.”
Jessica
Miller, a 2004 graduate of Saint John ( Kan. ) High School,
was named to the All-KCAC first team as an outside hitter after
being named to the second team a year earlier. Miller topped the
Lady Bulldogs and ranked 8 th in the KCAC in ace serves per game,
notching 42. She led the Lady Bulldogs and was ranked in the conference's
regular season top 10 in kills with 295. Miller's average of 3.07
kills per game placed her among KCAC's top 10. Jessica was 5 th
in service reception, keeping 96.35% of her attempts in play. Miller's
289 digs ranked second among the 2006 Lady Bulldogs. Jessica is
the daughter of Lance and Joyce Miller of Saint John, Kan. Jessica
is majoring in biochemistry major at McPherson College .
“Jessica is more than deserving
of being named to the All-KCAC first team” offered coach Stephenson.
“She is one of those that plays with so much intensity and determination.
She can take a ball and put it down cross court or down the line.
Teams make adjustments because she is so deceiving and hits the
ball so hard.”
“This year, she had several
double-doubles and set a school record with 22 kills against Bethany
.”
“Jessica is one of those
competitors that wants the ball in a tight match. She will put the
ball down and place it so our team will be successful.”
 Jennifer
Marquette, a 2003 graduate of Blue Rapids-Valley Heights
High School, was named to the All-KCAC second team as a middle hitter
after being a first team selection as a sophomore and junior. Marquette
was 3 rd in the KCAC in blocks per game, rejecting an average of
1.40 per game. Her 234 kills ranked 2 nd among the Lady Bulldogs.
Marquette led McPherson with 64 solo, 69 assisted, and 133 total
blocks. Jennifer is the daughter of Russ and Myrna Marquette of
Waterville , Kan. Jennifer is majoring in graphic design and studio
art.
“Jenny has developed as a
player and gotten stronger each year,” added Stephenson. “This Jenny
has worked very hard to become a better blocker for us this year.”
“In addition, her placing
of the ball this year has improved and caught teams off guard, forcing
them to make adjustments for her.”
“Jenny is one of our hardest
working players and her goal is to always do what is going to make
our team better.”
“When the all-conference
picks were made, Jenny kind of got caught in a numbers game as there
were several very good players at her position.”
 Nikki
MacKay, a 2004 graduate of Raymore-Peculiar, Mo. , High
School was named to the All-KCAC second team as a liberio after
being to the All-KCAC first team and Liberio of the Year as a freshman,
and second team all-conference as a sophomore. MacKay led the Bulldogs
and the KCAC in regular season play with 6.15 digs per game. Her
597 regular season digs ranked second among KCAC players. MacKay's
22 ace serves ranked third among the Lady Bulldogs. Nikki is the
daughter of Stephen and Joanne Mackay of Peculiar, Mo. Nikki is
majoring in education and physical education.
“Our conference has many
great liberos,” concluded Stephenson. “I know that being named Region
IV and KCAC libero of the week twice this year tells me that we
have a great one.”
“Nikki is one of those players
that will play with an injury and not complain, but rather do what
she needs to do to help our team be successful.”
“New to our program as a
transfer this fall, she has stepped in, learned our system, and
has done a great job of getting the ball to our setter. She was
named to the AVCA/NAIA 30-dig club this year. Nikki does a very
good job of reading the hitter and moving to get to the ball. She
is another of those players that play because of their love of the
game.”
The 2006 Lady Bulldogs finished
their regular season with a 17-11 overall record, 13-5 and fourth
in the KCAC race. The Bulldogs' 13 conference wins equals the most
conference wins in school volleyball history set in 2005.
Awarded a home berth in
the first round of the KCAC post-season tournament, the Bulldogs
defeated Ottawa University to advance to the semifinal round against
#1 seeded Tabor College .
|
