Grand Rapids Reporter

A trio of Ferris State University volleyball players has been recognized as All-Americans for the 2023 season, contributing to FSU's advancement to the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen for the third consecutive year.

Junior outside hitter Olivia Henneman-Dallape from Oregon, Ohio, was named a 2023 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America Second Team honoree. Junior setter Kaylee Maat from Hudsonville and junior outside hitter Claire Nowicki from Clarkston received AVCA Honorable Mention All-America accolades.

The selections were made by the AVCA Division II All-America Committee as part of the 42nd annual NCAA Division II All-America listing. This marks the second consecutive year that both Maat and Nowicki have received All-America honors. Maat was previously a third-team choice, while Nowicki earned honorable mention last season. It is Henneman-Dallape's first time receiving this recognition in her collegiate career.

All three athletes were earlier named to the AVCA All-Midwest Region squad this year. In total, 24 different Bulldog student-athletes have now achieved AVCA All-America honors throughout history. This year marks the 12th time in 13 years, excluding the 2021 spring COVID season, that FSU has had at least one volleyball player receive this honor.

The Bulldogs' successful history includes notable past recipients such as Arielle Goodson in 2010 and Ashley Huntey in 2011. The program has seen multiple honorees over various years, with players like Megan Vander Meer, Caroline Heitzman, Stephanie Sikorski, Allyson Cappel, Ayanna Buckley, Katie O'Connell, and Maeve Grimes achieving recognition.

In recent history, O'Connell became only the third Bulldog player to earn distinction three times in her career during fall 2021. Cappel remains FSU's only four-time honoree as of 2019. Other two-time honorees include Kathy O'Connor (1993), Karla Fairbanks (2003-04), Vander Meer (2014-15), Sikorski (2015-16), along with current players Maat and Nowicki.

This year's team led by these standouts secured the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Championship and marked their school's 12th consecutive and 27th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance. The Bulldogs concluded their season with a record of 27-8.