Rhoades and Griffeth head Coyote Volleyball All-KCAC honorees
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Rhoades

Griffeth

Four Kansas Wesleyan Volleyball players have been named All-KCAC, selected by the conference coaches. Kolby Rhoades and Kristal Griffeth were named First Team All-KCAC, while Kelli Berg and Naomi Hobayan received Second Team All-KCAC honors.

Rhoades, a 5-8 junior outside hitter from Burlington, Colo., led the KCAC in kills per game with a 4.35 average in her first season with the Coyotes. Rhoades had spent the previous two seasons at West Texas A&M. She was the first KWU player to go over 400 kills in a season since Jennifer Joy in 2002. She was also named KCAC Player of the Year for the 2006 season. Rhoades was named KCAC Player of the Week for four consecutive weeks to conclude the regular season.

Griffeth, a 6-1 senior middle hitter from Beatrice, Neb., was named First Team All-KCAC for the third consecutive season, since transferring from Emporia State (Kan.) prior to the start of the 2004 season. Griffeth finished the regular season ranked ninth in the KCAC in kills per game at 2.89, and was second in blocks per game with 1.45.

Berg

Berg, a 5-10 junior outside hitter from Logan, Kan., earned Second Team All-KCAC honors for the second straight season. Berg had an excellent season after rebounding from a knee injury at the end of the 2005 season. She finished fourth in the KCAC in aces per game with .47, and was just outside the conference top-10 in blocks per game at .80.

Hobayan

Hobayan, a 5-2 junior libero from West Covina, Calif., was named Second Team All-KCAC in her first season with the Coyotes after transferring from Cerritos (Calif.) College. She finished tied for fifth in the KCAC regular season in aces per game with .45, and was sixth in the KCAC in digs per game at 4.93. She also just finished outside the top-10 in passing percentage at 94.87 percent.

Kansas Wesleyan concluded the KCAC regular season tied with Bethel (Kan.) for second place, but was awarded the no.3 seed in post season tournament. The Coyotes also had 1 12-match winning streak which including a 9-0 record in the second half of the KCAC season. The Coyotes won their first round match against Friends, before falling to Bethel in the KCAC Post-Season Tournament semifinals last Thursday.

The Coyotes (20-11 overall) will to make the program’s first ever NAIA Region IV Tournament berth later this week as the no.7 seed, facing no.2 seeded College of Saint Mary at 7:00 PM on Thursday at the Lied Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

-- KWU SI --