ST. PAUL, Minn. – The No. 5 nationally ranked University of Northwestern Eagles won their 13
th consecutive Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) volleyball regular season championship in 2023. Prior to the conference tournament championship, the Eagles earned six All-Conference awards and won three of the top conference honors, it was announced on Thursday.
UNW junior Abby Glanzer was named the 2023 UMAC Player of the Year. The two-time First Team All-American outside hitter leads the conference with 454 kills, 4.28 kills per set, 532 points, and 5.02 points per set. Nationally, throughout all of NCAA DIII, Glanzer is ranked seventh in total kills, 11
th in kills per set, sixth in total points, and 11
th in points per set.
The 2023 UMAC Defensive Player of the Year was earned by two players this fall. Jenna Anderson of University of Wisconsin-Superior was one of the honorees. The Yellowjackets’ junior defensive specialist and libero leads the conference with 565 digs and 5.77 digs per set. Nationally, Anderson is ranked 19
th in total digs and 17
th in digs per set.
Marylyn Schroyer of Northwestern also earned UMAC Defensive Player of the Year honors for the third consecutive season. The Eagles’ senior libero has the second-most digs in the conference with 525 and her 5.41 digs per set rank third overall. Schroyer’s defense has been key to Northwestern holding their opponents to a UMAC-best .108 hitting percentage, 9.68 kills per set, and 1.04 service aces per set this season.
North Central University’s Sydney Carlson was named the 2023 UMAC Rookie of the Year. The Ram’s outside hitter is second in the conference with 3.38 kills per set, 345.5 total points, and 3.88 points per set. She also has 246 digs and 23 service aces this fall.
Northwestern head coach Beth Wilmeth was named 2023 UMAC Coach of the Year for the second year in a row. Under her leadership, the Eagles have gone 28-4 overall and went undefeated in conference matches at 14-0 to win the 26
th UMAC Regular Season Championship in program history. In the postseason, Wilmeth coached UNW to a 3-0 victory over Martin Luther College in the semifinals on Wednesday night, setting up her Eagles to host the UMAC Tournament Championship match on Saturday against Wisconsin-Superior.
North Central won the team sportsmanship award, an accolade that is selected by the UMAC coaches and awarded to the team that best represents sportsmanship throughout the entire season, including the championship event. Each team also had one representative named to the individual sportsmanship award list.
Individual Awards
* Player of the Year – Abby Glanzer, University of Northwestern
# Co-Defensive Player of the Year – Jenna Anderson, University of Wisconsin-Superior
# Co-Defensive Player of the Year – Marylyn Schroyer, University of Northwestern
% Rookie of the Year – Sydney Carlson, North Central University
Coach of the Year – Beth Wilmeth, University of Northwestern
Team Sportsmanship Award – North Central University
| First Team All-Conference |
| Jenna Anderson # |
University of Wisconsin-Superior |
Junior |
DS/Libero |
| Abby Glanzer * |
University of Northwestern |
Junior |
Outside Hitter |
| McKenzie Newton |
University of Minnesota-Morris |
Senior |
S/RS |
| Ari Schmidt |
University of Northwestern |
Junior |
Opposite Hitter |
| Marylyn Schroyer # |
University of Northwestern |
Senior |
Libero |
| Laura Wellbrock |
University of Minnesota-Morris |
Junior |
OH/RS |
| Second Team All-Conference |
| Marley Aune |
University of Northwestern |
Sophomore |
Middle Blocker |
| Sydney Carlson % |
North Central University |
Freshman |
Outside Hitter |
| Maggie Jones |
University of Minnesota-Morris |
Senior |
Middle Hitter |
| Grace Kieselhorst |
Martin Luther College |
Junior |
S/RH |
| Kaylin Plautz |
University of Wisconsin-Superior |
Senior |
MH/RS |
| Grace Strickfaden |
University of Northwestern |
Junior |
Setter |
| Honorable Mention All-Conference |
| Kiera Brown |
University of Northwestern |
Senior |
Middle Blocker |
| Ava Brunn |
University of Minnesota-Morris |
Sophomore |
DS/OH |
| Katelyn Maag |
Bethany Lutheran College |
Junior |
MB/RS |
| Maiana Stark |
University of Wisconsin-Superior |
Junior |
OH/RS |
| Lexiss Trygg |
Bethany Lutheran College |
Sophomore |
RS/OH |
| Bailey Wynn |
Northland |
5th Year |
Pin |
| Individual Sportsmanship Awards |
| Hailey Barker |
Bethany Lutheran College |
| Aryanna Puetz |
Crown College |
| Abigail Winkel |
Martin Luther College |
| Taylor Soung |
North Central University |
| Ellie Kracht |
Northland College |
| Sydney Eckhoff |
University of Minnesota Morris |
| Kiera Brown |
University of Northwestern |
| Kielan LaPlante |
University of Wisconsin-Superior |