GLIAC -- The 2023 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Volleyball postseason awards have been announced following a vote by the league's coaches.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jordyn Gates, Grand Valley State
Jordyn Gates was named the GLIAC Player of the Year, becoming the first Laker to earn the award since 2014. A first-team selection a season ago, Gates has only gotten better, leading the
Lakers with 348 kills, while adding 543 assists, 276 digs, and 69 total blocks. She has recorded an NCAA leading 11 triple-doubles and helped lead the Lakers to a regular season GLIAC title. A three-time GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week honoree, Gates has recorded seven games of 15 or more kills, including three with over 20 kills. Additionally, she has tallied double-digit assists in every match, with 13 matches of 20 or more assists.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Olivia Henneman-Dallape, Ferris State
Ferris State University junior hitter Olivia Henneman-Dallape has taken her game to another level this season, compiling the most productive season of her collegiate career to date. The standout junior has posted a team-best 403 total kills while averaging 3.77 kills per set for FSU, which is 23-7 overall entering the GLIAC Tournament Semifinals. Henneman-Dallape has hit .283 for the year in 30 matches and added 97 digs, 71 blocks and 18 service aces. Her play as helped the Bulldogs reach the conference tournament for the 26th consecutive year while ranking among the nation’s top 25 teams most of the season. FSU is in position to earn a NCAA Division II Tournament berth for the 12th-straight year. She’s tallied 10 kills or more in 27 matches this season, including five matches with 20 or more kills. This season, Henneman-Dallape notched her 1,000th career kills during the final weekend of regular-season play.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Stephanie Kalinowski, Davenport
The South Lyon, Mich. native had a breakout final season with the Panthers, ending the regular season leading the conference in both digs (553) and digs per set (4.85). Her 567 digs in 2023 rank the fifth most in a single season in school history, while 4.85 digs per set ranks fourth. The graduate collected three consecutive GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Kalinowski is the second Panther to garner Player of the Week honors in three straight weeks since joining the GLIAC ahead of the 2017 season. Kalinowski recorded a career-high 38 digs against Saginaw Valley State (Nov. 10), marking the third most in a match in program history. In that match against the Cardinals, she also notched a career-high six service aces. There were four matches in 2023 where Kalinowski eclipsed 30 digs and registered double-digit digs in 28 of 29. Over her four-year career with the Panthers, she has tallied 1,175 digs, the ninth most in school history.
SETTER OF THE YEAR
Kaylee Maat, Ferris State
Ferris State University junior setter Kaylee Maat has continued a stellar collegiate career to date this season, leading the Bulldogs to the GLIAC Tournament Semifinals and a potential NCAA Tournament berth for the 12th consecutive year. A three-time All-GLIAC choice, Maat has produced 1,070 kills for FSU in 30 matches this season, averaging 9.82 kills per frame while ranking among the league and regional leaders. The standout setter also has 280 digs this season and a squad-best 60 service aces in addition to 80 kills and 35 total blocks. This season, she’s been tabbed as the GLIAC Setter of the Week multiple times and notched her 4,000th career assist along with her 1,000th career dig and 200th career service ace for the Bulldogs, who were ranked among the nations top 25 teams most of the season.
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Tess Hayes, Michigan Tech
Michigan Tech setter Tess Hayes is the GLIAC Freshman of the Year. The Chicago native started all 29 matches in the regular season for the Huskies and led the GLIAC in assists per set in conference matches at 10.15. She had seven matches with at least 50 assists and tallied at least 40 assists 11 times. Hayes notched her 1,000th assist of the season on November 10 and has 17 double-doubles during her freshman campaign. Hayes was named the GLIAC Setter of the Week on October 9 after averaging 12.14 assists per set and 20 digs in a pair of wins. In the regular season, she tallied 1,094 assists, 287 digs, 43 kills, 31 blocks, and 21 aces. Hayes is the third Husky to be named GLIAC Freshman of the Year after Kelly Jorgenson (2006) and Laura De Marchi (2017).
COACH OF THE YEAR
Leigh Barea, Parkside
Parkside volleyball coach, Leigh Barea was named 2023 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (GLIAC) Coach of the Year. Following a nine-win season, Barea led a massive bounce back effort that resulted in an 18-win season. Parkside finished 18-11 overall and 12-6 on GLIAC play. Parkside was picked to finish ninth in the GLIAC, but defied odds and placed third. This was the highest finish for Parkside since joining the conference in 2018. Barea reached the nine-win mark by September 26th, and the new feeling of a contending team was brewing from the get-go. Barea picked up monumental wins against Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan, and #16 Ferris State. Those wins broke streaks of at least over five years against those respective programs. The ranked win over Ferris State was the first ranked win of the Barea era for Parkside.
2023 First Team All-GLIAC
Jordyn Gates, Grand Valley State
Kayla Giroux, Wayne State
Olivia Henneman-Dallape, Ferris State
Ava Irvin, Parkside
Kaylee Maat, Ferris State
Kaycee Meiners, Michigan Tech
Claire Nowicki, Ferris State
Lindy Oujiri, Michigan Tech
Jacqueline Smith, Northern Michigan
Lindsay Taylor, Davenport
Mariana Velasque, Lake Superior State
Sarah Wight, Grand Valley State
2023 Second Team All-GLIAC
Leah Bylut, Ferris State
Arra Cottrell, Purdue Northwest
Syann Fairfield, Ferris State
Sam Fisch, Parkside
Natalie Harris, Parkside
Tess Hayes, Michigan Tech
Anika Huelskamp, Purdue Northwest
Emily Kalinowski, Lake Superior State
Stephanie Kalinowski, Davenport
Meghan Meyer, Northern Michigan
Meg Raabe, Michigan Tech
Kendall Stover, Grand Valley State
2023 Honorable Mention All-GLIAC
Emmy Webb, Davenport
Kenzy Corstange, Ferris State
Rachel Jacquay, Grand Valley State
Emilee McDaniel, Lake Superior State
Rachel Zurek, Michigan Tech
Liesl Haugen, Northern Michigan
Karlee Lois, Parkside
Livia Thomsen, Purdue Northwest
Kelsey Vittitow, Saginaw Valley State
Kayla Dulgar, Wayne State
