GLIAC -- The 2021 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Volleyball postseason awards have been announced after voting conducted by the league's coaches.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR & SETTER OF THE YEAR: Laura De Marchi | Senior | Michigan Tech
De Marchi is Michigan Tech's third GLIAC Player of the Year in program history and is the GLIAC Setter of the Year for the fourth straight season. De Marchi led the GLIAC with 589 assists, averaging 12.53 per set to rank second in NCAA Division II. She broke Michigan Tech's career assist mark on April 2 with her 4,092nd assist. She also tallied her 1,000th career dig on the same day. The senior from Milan, Italy also tallied 129 digs this season, averaging 2.74 per set, 28 kills, and 24 total blocks. She had eight double-doubles and hit the 50-assist mark seven times in 2021 with a season-high 65 assists on March 27. De Marchi also holds the school record for career assists per set (11.8) and is second amongst active NCAA Division II setters and third amongst all NCAA setters in the same category.
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ATTACKER OF THE YEAR: Olivia Ghormley | Senior | Michigan Tech
Ghormley is the GLIAC Attacker of the Year for the third consecutive season. She led the GLIAC in the regular season in kills per set (4.03) to rank 19th nationally. The senior from Oneida, Wisconsin was twice named the GLIAC North Division Player of the Week on March 15 and March 22. She currently ranks third in Michigan Tech history in kills per set (3.77) and fourth with 1,419 kills. Ghormley hit double figures in kills in 9-of-10 matches she appeared in and hit the 20-kill mark three times. She added 15 digs and 11 total blocks while hitting .257.
BLOCKER OF THE YEAR: Jaelianna Primus | Sophomore | Grand Valley St.
Primus, the 2019 GLIAC Freshman of the Year, continued her dominance around the net in her second season by leading the league in blocks per set (1.37), total blocks (70), and solo blocks (22). The 70 total blocks was 17 more than the next closest finisher. The Hudsonville, Mich. native has helped the Lakers lead the conference in blocks per set (2.71), which also ranks third in the nation. Individually, Primus ranks eighth in the country after finishing 41st last season in total blocks per set.
LIBERO OF THE YEAR: Nina Gorgijevska | Senior | Ferris St.
Ferris State University senior libero Nina Gorgijevska ranks as the GLIAC's leader in digs with 330 on the year, averaging 6.60 per set for the Bulldogs. The two-year starter has started all 14 matches and played in all 50 sets for the Bulldogs entering the conference tournament. Gorgijevska has posted at least 15 digs in all 14 matches for the Bulldogs and compiled 20 or more digs 11 times to date. She notched a season-high 36 digs in a 3-1 home win over Ashland on March 5 and also totaled 32 digs at Northwood on March 19. Additionally, she's totaled 34 assists and 14 aces for the Bulldogs, who posted a 10-4 regular-season record.
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Jacqueline Smith | Freshman | Northern Michigan
Smith finished the regular season with 193 total kills and averaged 4.02 kills per set. She led the GLIAC for the majority of the year in kills and kills per set and finished second in both categories. The freshman hailing from Saint Germain, Wis. was named the GLIAC North Player of the Week in early March, the first weekly honor of her career. It was the freshman outside hitter who had the kill that won the final match of the season for NMU. She notched eight double-doubles and hit the 20-kill or more mark three times over the course of the season.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Mike Lozier | 4th Season | Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan Head Coach, Lozier led the Wildcats to a 12-2 record this season. After dropping their first match, NMU went on to win 11 straight matches which included winning every contest in the month of March. That streak included a four-match run of 3-0 sweeps from March 12-20. The coach also had student-athletes finish in the top five of kills per set, kills, hitting percentage, digs per set, digs, service aces per set, and assists per set in the GLIAC regular season.
A complete list of the 2021 All-GLIAC volleyball teams is below:
2021 All-GLIAC Volleyball First Team | ||||
Name
|
School
|
Year
|
Position
|
Hometown
|
Laura De Marchi | Michigan Tech | Sr. | Setter | Milan, Italy |
Jacqueline Smith | Northern Michigan | Fr. | Outside Hitter | Saint Germain, Wis. |
Katie O'Connell | Ferris State | Sr. | Outside Hitter | Evergreen Park, Ill. |
Olivia Ghormley | Michigan Tech | Sr. | Outside Hitter | Oneida, Wis |
Hayley Kreiger | Davenport | Jr. | Outside Hitter | South Haven, Mich. |
Ali Thompson | Grand Valley St. | Jr. | Outside Hitter | Cincinnati, Ohio |
Anna Jonynas | Michigan Tech | Sr. | Outside Hitter | Orland Park, Ill. |
Lauren Van Remortel | Northern Michigan | So. | Setter | Carmel, Ind. |
Nina Gorgijevska | Ferris St. | Sr. | Libero | Potsdam, Germany |
Jaelianna Primus | Grand Valley St. | So. | Middle Blocker | Hudsonville, Mich. |
Mary Gallagher | Northwood | Sr. | Middle Blocker | Dexter, Mich. |
Meghan Meyer | Northern Michigan | Fr. | Middle Blocker | Ada, Mich. |
2021 All-GLIAC Volleyball Second Team | ||||
Name
|
School
|
Year | Position | Hometown |
Erin Krupar | Ashland | Jr. | Outside Hitter | East Sparta, Ohio |
Maria Vukaj | Saginaw Valley St. | Jr. | Outside Hitter | Davison, Mich. |
Zoey Peck | Ashland | Jr. | Setter | Homeworth, Ohio |
Macy Lintz | Northwood | Jr. | Setter | Columbiaville, Mich. |
Kamryn Duffield | Wayne State | Jr. | Setter | Romeo, Mich. |
Abby Graham | Grand Valley St. | Jr. | Outside Hitter | St. Charles, Ill. |
Megan Utlak | Michigan Tech | Sr. | Defensive Specialist | Parma, Ohio |
Riley Groves | Davenport | Jr. | Outside Hitter | Walkerton, Ind. |
Brooke Peiffer | Ashland | R-Sr. | Outside Hitter | Lansing, Mich. |
Lizzy Stark | Northern Michigan | Jr. | Outside Hitter | Minneapolis, Minn. |
Reese Rossnagel | Parkside | So. | Middle Blocker | Las Vegas, Nev. |
Janie Grindland | Michigan Tech | Jr. | Middle Blocker | Woodbury, Minn. |
2021 All-GLIAC Honorable Mention Team | ||||
Name | School | Yr. | Pos. | Hometown |
Katie Thompson | Ashland | Fr. | Defensive Specialist | Independence, Ohio |
Emmy Webb | Davenport | So. | Middle Blocker | Rockford, Mich. |
Kaylee Maat | Ferris State | Fr. | Setter | Hudsonville, Mich. |
Karlie Kucharczyk | Grand Valley St. | So. | Outside Hitter | Battle Creek, Mich. |
Halle Grulke | Lake Superior St. | Jr. | Setter | Hustisford, Wis. |
Jillian Kuizenga | Michigan Tech | R-Fr. | Right Side Hitter | St. Charles, Mich. |
Alli Yacko | Northern Michigan | Jr. | Libero | Oak Lawn, Ill. |
Mackenzie Kepler | Northwood | Sr. | Outside Hitter | Macomb, Mich. |
Danielle Fowler | Purdue Northwest | Sr. | Libero | Highland, Ind. |
Haley Clum | Saginaw Valley St. | Sr. | Middle Hitter | Grosse Ile, Mich. |
Taylor Wagner | Wayne State | R-Jr. | OH/MB | St. Joseph, Mich. |
Hallie McGuire | Parkside | So. | OH/MB | La Salle, Ill. |