The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team swept the major player awards announced by the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Thursday.
Jenna Weinfurt (Waukesha, Wis./Catholic Memorial) was named the WIAC Kwik Trip Offensive Player of the Year while
Morgan Jensen (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) garnered Kwik Trip Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Aubrie Krzus (Wheaton, Ill./Warrenville South) was selected as the league's Kwik Trip Newcomer of the Year and
Hannah Proctor (Durand, Ill./Durand) represented UW-Whitewater on the WIAC's All-Sportsmanship Team.
Weinfurt, a senior outside hitter, is the first Offensive Player of the Year since the league split its top award into offensive and defensive categories in 2014. Along with being the WIAC's top offensive player, Weinfurt was selected First Team All-WIAC for the third consecutive season. The explosive hitter with a powerhouse swing was fourth in the league averaging 4.04 kills per set and third in points per set (4.72) - both marks that rank among the top 30 in Division III this season.
Kirsten Anderson (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) joined Weinfurt with First Team honors this season. An All-American and First Team All-WIAC honoree a year ago, Anderson leads the nation in blocks per set this season averaging 1.42. Her .368 hitting percentage is ranked 21st nationally and third-best in the league. She also ranks among the top ten in the league in kills per set, aces per set and points per set this season.
Jensen has been a staple at the libero position for the Warhawks for five years. Now a two-time WIAC Defensive Player of the Year (2021), Jensen is the third Warhawk to earn the honor since 2014. She was also selected to the WIAC's All-Defensive Team for the fourth time in her career this season and garnered Honorable Mention All-WIAC recognition. The graduate student leads the WIAC in digs per set with 4.79. She surpassed the 2,000 career dig mark earlier this season becoming the sixth player in program history to reach the milestone. Jensen is also one of the conference's top servers with 51 aces - second-most in the WIAC.
Krzus, also an Honorable Mention All-WIAC pick this season, is the second Warhawk to earn Newcomer of the Year honors since the inception of the award in 2019. The freshman setter dishes out a league-best 9.64 assists per set - ranked among the top 25 in Division III this season. She's also a defensive threat at the net averaging 0.84 blocks per set - ranked ninth in the league.
In total, UW-Whitewater has had 13 WIAC Players of the Year since 1999.
The Warhawks, ranked sixth according to the American Volleyball Coaches Association, wrapped up the regular season with a 6-1 record in WIAC play to claim the number two seed in the league tournament. UWW (24-4) will host sixth-seeded UW-River Falls (20-9) for the second time in less than a week for a ticket to the WIAC Tournament Championship. The Warhawks' semifinal matchup against the Falcons is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Russell Arena on Thursday, November 9. The winner of the league tournament title will receive the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament slated to start next week.
