Skjodt, Kieffer-Wright Earn All-Big Ten Honors
11/28/2017 3:30:00 PM | Volleyball
ROSEMONT, Ill. -- University of Michigan volleyball junior Carly Skjodt was selected to the 2017 All-Big Ten Conference First Team, and senior Claire Kieffer-Wright received an All-Big Ten honorable mention, it was announced by the Big Ten Conference office on Tuesday (Nov. 28). Junior Maddy Abbott also earned postseason accolades as Michigan's Sportsmanship Award winner.
The All-Big Ten postseason honor is a first for Skjodt, who leads the Wolverines in kills and ranks second in digs. A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Skjodt earned two Big Ten Player of the Week selections during the 2017 regular season and was once named a Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week (Nov. 21). The junior outside hitter has started all 32 matches this season and played every set as a six-rotation player, posting seven kill-dig double-doubles and leading the Wolverines in kills 22 times. She has also totaled four 20-plus kill matches on the year, including a season-high 24 kills through four sets at Michigan State (Oct. 18). Additionally, Skjodt was a CoSIDA Academic All-District first-team selection and was named the MVP of the Michigan Challenge Tournament.
In her final season with the Maize and Blue, Kieffer-Wright has led the front row both offensively and defensively. The 6-foot-1 middle blocker has started and played every set for the Wolverines and leads Michigan with a .324 attack average and 113 total blocks. A native of South Pasadena, California, she has led Michigan in blocks 16 times this season, while also leading the Wolverines in kills 15 times.
After being named a 2017 Preseason All-Big Ten selection, Kieffer-Wright was named a Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week one time this season and earned selections to the USC/LMU Invite and Michigan Invitational All-Tournament teams.
In addition to Michigan's two All-Big Ten honors, Abbott was also recognized by the conference as the Wolverines' Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree. A native of Corona del Mar, California, Abbott has played in eight matches with one start so far this season, and totaled 62 assists from the setter position. She recorded a career-high 38 assists and five attacks in a win over Albany (Aug. 25) to open the 2017 campaign.
In the specialty awards, Penn State's Simone Lee was named the Big Ten Player of the Year, while the Nittany Lions' Haleigh Washington was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Nebraska's Kelly Hunter was named the Setter of the Year and Wisconsin's Dana Rettke was tabbed the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. For the coaching awards, Nebraska's John Cook was voted the Big Ten Coach of the Year by the coaches in the league, while Penn State's Russ Rose was voted the Big Ten Coach of the Year by the media.
Michigan (21-11) will make its 17th postseason appearance this weekend and face off against Colorado State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday (Dec. 1). The match will take place in Palo Alto, California, at Stanford University, and first serve is slated for 4:30 p.m. PT in Maples Pavilion.
2017 Big Ten Volleyball Awards
Player of the Year: Simone Lee, Penn State
Defensive Player of the Year: Haleigh Washington, Penn State
Setter of the Year: Kelly Hunter, Nebraska
Freshman of the Year: Dana Rettke, Wisconsin
Coach of the Year (Coaches): John Cook, Nebraska
Coach of the Year (Media): Russ Rose, Penn State
ALL-BIG TEN*
Ali Bastianelli, Jr., MB, Illinois
Jordyn Poulter, Jr., S, Illinois
Carly Skjodt, Jr., OH, Michigan
AUTUMN BAILEY, Sr., OH, Michigan State
Alyssa Garvelink, Sr., MB, Michigan State
Alexis Hart, So., OH, Minnesota
STEPHANIE SAMEDY, Fr., OPP, Minnesota
SAMANTHA SELIGER-SWENSON, Jr., S, Minnesota
Annika Albrecht, Sr., OH, Nebraska
MIKAELA FOECKE, Jr., OH, Nebraska
KELLY HUNTER, Sr., S, Nebraska
Symone Abbott, Sr., OH, Northwestern
SIMONE LEE, Sr., OH, Penn State
HALEIGH WASHINGTON, Sr., MB, Penn State
Kendall White, So., L, Penn State
SHERRIDAN ATKINSON, Jr., OPP, Purdue
DANIELLE CUTTINO, Sr., OH, Purdue
DANA RETTKE, Fr., MB, Wisconsin
Tionna Williams, Jr., MB, Wisconsin
HONORABLE MENTION
Jess Janota, Sr., MB, Iowa
Taylor Louis, Jr., OH, Iowa
Annika Olsen, Sr., L, Iowa
Hailey Murray, Sr., MB, Maryland
Claire Kieffer-Wright, Sr., MB, Michigan
Rachel Minarick, Sr., S, Michigan State
Holly Toliver, Sr., OPP, Michigan State
Briana Holman, Sr., MB, Nebraska
Ashley Wenz, Sr., OH, Ohio State
Heidi Thelen, Sr., RS, Ohio State
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Megan Cooney, OH, Illinois
STEPHANIE SAMEDY, OPP, Minnesota
Jazz Sweet, OH, Nebraska
Lauren Stivrins, MB, Nebraska
Nia Robinson, OH, Northwestern
Sydney Hilley, S, Wisconsin
DANA RETTKE, MB, Wisconsin
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES
Beth Prince, Illinois
Jessica Admire, Indiana
Annika Olsen, Iowa
Liz Twilley, Maryland
Maddy Abbott, Michigan
Abby Monson, Michigan State
Molly Lohman, Minnesota
Sydney Townsend, Nebraska
Gabrielle Hazen, Northwestern
Kalisha Goree, Ohio State
Carissa Damler, Purdue
Lainy Pierce, Penn State
Karysa Swackenberg, Rutgers
Lauryn Gillis, Wisconsin
Unanimous selections in CAPS
*Additional honorees due to ties
