2014 Daktronics All-Midwest Region Team release

A trio of Grand Valley State senior volleyball players were voted to the 2014 Daktronics All-Midwest Region Team, released on Wednesday morning (Nov. 19). Libero Christina Canepa and setter Kaitlyn Wolters were chosen to the All-Midwest Region First Team, while outside hitter Abby Aiken was named a Second Team selection. All three players are repeat honorees from last season.

The Daktronics All-Region teams are voted on by the sports information directors in each of the eight regions in Division II. Since Canepa and Wolters were First Team selections, they will both advance to the All-America ballot. The 2014 Daktronics All-America Team will be announced on Dec. 3.

There are generally 14 players on the two teams - seven players on both the first and second teams. Each team has three outside hitters, two middle blockers, one setter, and one libero. However, due to a tie, there were two additional outside hitters on the second team.

Last season, Aiken was voted the Midwest Region Player of the Year and was a First Team honoree, as was Canepa. Wolters earned Second Team plaudits in 2013.

Canepa and Wolters were the only GLIAC players on the seven-member First Team this year, while Aiken was one of five GLIAC athletes on the nine-player Second Team.

The 2014 GLIAC Player of the Year and GLIAC Setter of the Year, Wolters has dished out 911 assists (9.59 per set), but has excelled in nearly every other statistical category, as well. With 142 kills, Wolters has put together an outstanding .414 hitting percentage, which is far and away the top figure in the GLIAC. For reference, the next highest hitting percentage is .330. She has also tallied 273 digs, 39 total blocks, and a team-high 36 service aces.

Just the second Laker ever to be named the GLIAC Libero of the Year, Canepa has recorded 462 digs this season, tied for the 10th-most in a single season in Laker history. That stat is even more impressive considering GVSU has played 19 three-set matches out of its 28 total contests. She is also second on the team with 82 assists and third with 25 service aces. In 24 of 28 matches this year, Canepa has 10 or more digs, while picking up 20 or more digs eight times.

Aiken has had another strong all-around campaign for the Lakers. Last season's GLIAC Player of the Year, Aiken ranks second on the team with 232 kills and is third with 319 digs and 49 assists. She's added 29 total blocks and 19 service aces. In Sunday's GLIAC Tournament Championship match, Aiken became the seventh GVSU player to enter the 1,000/1,000 club, as she now has 1,268 career kills and 1,004 digs in her four seasons in Allendale.

All three players have written their names in the Laker career record books this season.

Canepa is second in Grand Valley State history in digs (1,660) and digs per set (4.10). Wolters - in just two seasons - has dished out 2,162 assists, the eighth-most in school history, while her 9.92 assists per set is fifth-best. Aiken's 1,268 kills are eighth-most by a Laker, while she is fourth in total attacks (3,846) and sixth in attacks per set (8.86).

The other five players joining Canepa and Wolters on the All-Midwest Region First Team are Truman State's Allie Brak (senior outside hitter) and Ali Patterson (junior middle blocker), Indianapolis' Hailey Brown (junior outside hitter), Lewis' Alexis Davito (junior outside hitter), and Rockhurst's Preecy Seever (junior middle blocker), who was named the 2014 Daktronics Midwest Region Player of the Year.

GVSU was tied with Rockhurst for the second-most honorees (three), while Truman State had four players named all-region.