ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) announced the recipients of their 2026 volleyball awards on Thursday. The awards are nominated and voted on by the UMAC volleyball head coaches.
Ana Egge of Northwestern was selected as the Player of the Year. In conference matches as an outside hitter, she recorded 140 kills, 4.00 kills/set (league-best), and a .304 hitting percentage.
Savanna Hering from UW-Superior repeated as the Defensive Player of the Year. In UMAC contests as a defensive specialist/libero, she had 219 digs for an average of 5.48 digs/set.
Lauren Burnett of Crown and Sella Fleming of Minnesota Morris were named Co-Rookies of the Year. In conference matches, Burnett had 103 kills, 2.78 kills/set, 119 digs for 3.22 digs/set and led the league in service aces (22). Against UMAC opponents, Fleming led the conference in assists (350), assist/set (9.21) and added 34 kills and 139 digs.
Celia Blattner of Crown and Beth Wilmeth of Northwestern were selected as Co-Coaches of the Year. Blattner, in her fourth year, helped lead the Polars to their first UMAC Tournament appearance since 2020 and a fourth-place finish in the conference standings.
Wilmeth led the Eagles to their 16th consecutive UMAC Regular Season Championship; 19th in the past 20 years, and 20th overall in her 23-year tenure as head coach.
Northwestern 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.
Each team also had one representative earn all-sportsmanship honors.
Player of the Year: Ana Egge, Northwestern
Defensive Player of the Year: Savanna Hering, UW-Superior
Co-Rookies of the Year: Lauren Burnett (Crown) and Sella Fleming (Minnesota Morris)
Co-Coaches of the Year: Celia Blattner (Crown) and Beth Wilmeth (Northwestern)
Team Sportsmanship: Northwestern
First-team All-Conference
| Avery Carlson |
Bethany Lutheran |
Sr. |
Lucas, Minn./Wabasso |
| Delaney Boone |
Crown |
So. |
East Bethel, Minn./Legacy |
| Sella Fleming |
Minnesota Morris |
Fr. |
Hawley, Minn./Hawley |
| Ella Johnson |
Minnesota Morris |
Jr. |
Dawson, Minn./Minneota |
| Natalie Wahl |
Minnesota Morris |
So. |
Walnut Grove, Minn./Westbrook-Walnut Grove |
| Ana Egge |
Northwestern |
Jr. |
Rapid City, S.D./Rapid City Christian |
| Addeson Jenniges |
Northwestern |
Jr. |
Walnut Grove, Minn./Westbrook-Walnut Grove |
| Anna Olsen |
Northwestern |
Sr. |
Randolph, Minn./Randolph |
| Miranda Wyatt |
Northwestern |
Jr. |
Manhattan, Mont./Manhattan Christian |
| Savanna Hering |
UW-Superior |
Jr. |
Superior, Wis./Superior |
| Makenna Hohbein |
UW-Superior |
Jr. |
Holdingford, Minn./Holdingford |
| Sydney Smith |
UW-Superior |
Sr. |
Milltown, Wis./Unity |
Honorable Mention All-Conference
| Tayler Helgemoe |
Bethany Lutheran |
Sr. |
Rushford, Minn./Rushford-Peterson |
| Lauren Burnett |
Crown |
Fr. |
Cook, Minn/North Woods |
| Lily Duquaine |
Crown |
Fr. |
Eau Claire, Wis./Altoona |
| Anna Kieselhorst |
Martin Luther |
Sr. |
Watertown, Wis./Luther Prep |
| Tori Scheler |
Minnesota Morris |
Sr. |
Edgewood, N.M./Sandia |
| Alana Costello |
Northwestern |
Fr. |
Mead, Colo./Mead |
| Norah Jaeb |
Northwestern |
So. |
Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstron |
| Melissa Hoff |
UW-Superior |
Jr. |
Holmen, Wis./Holmen |
| Kyndra Peterson |
UW-Superior |
So. |
Mounds View, Minn./Irondale |
All-Sportsmanship
| Bethany Lutheran |
Kennedy Halper |
| Crown |
Alyssa Heagney |
| Martin Luther |
Molly Bixby |
| Minnesota Morris |
Rachel Bopp |
| North Central |
Tatum Olson |
| Northwestern |
Anna Olsen |
| UW-Superior |
Kate Jamtgaard |