Four
Jackets Named to VB All-Conference Teams (11/14/05)
BILLINGS, MT – The Heartland Conference
announced its 2005 volleyball all-conference teams on Monday, and
four players from Montana State-Billings were honored.
MSU Billings, Western New Mexico, and Incarnate Word each had four
all-conference selections.
The Yellowjackets had the most first-team
selections of any team in the conference with three. Alicia
Cazemier (So., Vauxhall, Alberta), Ali Watson (Jr., Calgary, Alberta) and Natalie
Bills (Jr., Provo, UT) were each named to the Heartland
All-Conference first team. Jessica
Bratton (Jr., Casper, WY) earned all-conference honorable
mention honors. Conference champion Western New Mexico, who
defeated the Yellowjackets 3-1 in the conference championship
match Saturday night, placed two players on the first team and two
on the second team.
Cazemier, 6-foot-0 middle blocker, was the
runner up in the player of the year voting. She finished the
season ranked second in the league for blocks, hitting percentage,
and points and was third for kills. Cazemier’s 123 total blocks
this season were the fifth-most in school history. After only two
seasons she already ranks sixth on the career school record list
with 239 total blocks and eleventh with 615 kills. At last
weekend’s Heartland Conference Tournament, Cazemier also became
just the fifth player in school history to eclipse 400 kills in a
season with 408. This season she was twice named conference
player of the week and was also named to the conference
championship all-tournament team.
Watson, a 5-11 outside hitter, was the fourth
player in school history to pass 400 kills in a season when she
did it in Friday’s conference tournament semifinal match. Her 414
kills this year rank third all-time in school history. Watson had
an immediate impact on the court after transferring from Sheridan
College this season. She was named the conference player of the
week three times and led the team in kills and digs. She finished
the season ranked second in the Heartland for kills, third for
points, and fourth for digs. Last weekend Watson was also named
to the conference championship all-tournament team.
Bills, a 5-7 setter, guided the Yellowjackets
to their second consecutive winning season for the first time in
the program’s history. With Bills as the starting setter the
Yellowjackets are a combined 34-19 after having never posted a
winning season before last year. Bills handed out 1256 assists
this year, second-most in school history, and tops in the
Heartland Conference. She is second all-time at MSU Billings for
career assists and also ranks third in school history for career
service aces. Bills was named Heartland Conference player of the
week three times this season.
Bratton, a 6-0 outside hitter, was third on
the team and seventh in the Heartland Conference for kills. A
three-year starter, she has amassed 976 career kills, third-most
in school history. After posting over 400 kills last year,
Bratton knocked down 319 this season to draw within striking
distance of the school record. She will need 312 kills as a
senior to catch Olivia Munro’s career school record of 1,288.
All-Heartland Volleyball 1st Team
Stephanie Higgins, OH, Western NM
Alicia Cazemier, MB, MSU Billings
Kari Chapman, MB, Incarnate Word
Ali Watson, OH, MSU Billings
Natalie Bills, S, MSU Billings
Courtney Heiser, S, Western NM
All-Heartland Volleyball 2nd Team
Katy Migl, L, St. Mary’s
Janiel McNeill, MB, Western NM
Hannah Werchan, OH, Incarnate Word
Amy Silva, OH, Incarnate Word
Jennifer Snowbarger, OH, Western NM
Maegan Lowry, MB, St. Mary’s
All-Heartland Volleyball Honorable Mention
Jessica Bratton, OH, MSU Billings
Jenna Pry, OH, Dallas Baptist
Brandi Garcia, OH, Incarnate Word
Rebecca Nycum, S, Dallas Baptist
Brandi Moss, MB, Dallas Baptist
Kristen Lozano, MB, St. Edward’s
Lindsey Douglas, OH, St. Edward’s
Player of the Year: Stephanie Higgins, Western NM
Libero of the Year: Katy Migl, St. Mary’s
Freshman of the Year: Mallary Moehrig, St. Mary’s
Coach of the Year: Jennifer Montoya, Incarnate Word |
