Flathead’s Henley, Glacier’s Gulick land Frontier volleyball honors
WHITEFISH — Frontier Conference Commissioner Kent Paulson announced the 2022 Frontier Conference volleyball honors teams, and Flathead High product Taylor Henley is a first-team pick.
Henley, a senior middle blocker for Montana Tech, was third on the Orediggers in kills (2.38 a set) and second in hitting percentage (.268). She was joined by two Tech teammates on the 13-member first team, including senior outside hitter Maureen Jessop, the league’s player of the year for the Frontier.
The conference also named an All-Freshman team, and that includes Glacier High product Sidney Gulick, an outside hitter for Carroll College. Gulick was third in kills at 2.05 a set for the Saints, who went 14-13.
The Orediggers won the regular-season league title before falling to Montana Western in the Frontier Conference. They still made the NAIA Tournament; they’ll take a 24-8 record into a first-round match against Westmont College of California. It will be Saturday in Butte, at 7 p.m.
Frontier tournament champion Rocky Mountain College (20-14) also made the national tourney, and will play at Indiana Wesleyan Saturday.
Montana Tech head coach Brian Solomon was named coach of the year, and the Diggers’ McKenna Kaelber and Rocky’s Blythe Sealey were selected co-setters of the year.
Rocky Mountain College senior libero Ayla Embry was a repeat selection as defensive player of
the Year. Montana Tech’s Olivia Caddy was named freshman of the Year.
The conference also released its Champions of Character team, which includes Montana Western middle blocker Morgan Stenger, a senior out of Columbia Falls.
The honors teams are below:
All-Frontier Conference
First team
Julia Carr, Carroll College, 5-7, Jr., DS, Portland, Ore.
Elizabeth Heuiser, Carroll College, 6-0, So., MH; Helena
Katherine McEuen, Carroll College, 5-10, Sr., OH/RS; Spokane
Alana Graves, MSU-Northern, 5-11, Jr., MB; Ballantine
Taylor Henley, Montana Tech, 6-1, Sr., MB; Kalispell
Maureen Jessop, Montana Tech, 6-1, Sr., OH; Corvallis.
Olivia Muir, Montana Tech, 5-11, Sr.. OH/RS; Smoot, Wyo.
Jazi Smith, Montana Western, 5-11, So. OH; Mossyrock, Wash.
Makenna Bushman, Rocky Mountain College, 5-11, So. OH; Joliet
Ayla Embry, Rocky Mountain College, 5-4, Sr., L; Bozeman
Rhiannon Nez, Rocky Mountain College, 5-11, So., MB/RS; Rapid City, S.D.
Blythe Sealey, Rocky Mountain College, 5-8, So., S; Roundup.
Jenna Thorne, University of Providence, 5-11, Jr., OH; Karitane, New Zealand
Second Team
McKenna Kaelber, Montana Tech, 5-11, Sr., S; Pasco, Wash.
Kelsey Goddard, Montana Western, 5-7, So., L/DS; Las Vegas
Danyel Martin, Montana Western, 6-2, Rs/So., MB; McAllister
Bella Bryan, Rocky Mountain College, 5-9, So., So., OH/RS; Billings.
Zoe Naugle, University of Providence, 6-1, Jr., MB; Castle Rock, Wash.
All-Freshmen Team
Sidney Gulick, Carroll College, 6-1, OH; Kalispell
Macee Murphy, MSU-Northern, 5-6, S; Ballentine
Olivia Caddy, Montana Tech, 5-5, L/DS; Missoula
Kinnidi Willmore, Montana Tech, 5-10, OH; Claremont, Calif.
Jordan Olson, Montana Western, 6-1, RS; Billings
Ryann Eddins, University of Providence, 5-9, OH; Bozeman
Bella Thompson, University of Providence,5-7, S; Kapahulu, Hawaii
Awards
Player of the Year: Maureen Jessop, Montana Tech
Freshman of the Year: Olivia Caddy, Montana Tech
Setters of the Year: McKenna Kaelber, Montana Tech; and Blythe Sealey, Rocky Mountain College
Defensive Player of the Year: Alya Embry, Rocky Mountain College.
Coach of the Year: Brian Solomon, Montana Tech
Assistants of the Year: Kristi Arntson, Tech; Al Givens, MSU-Northern; and Casie Lowden, Rocky.
2022 Champions of Character
Carroll College, Kylie Kackman, 5-8, Sr., S; Colfax, Wash.
Montana Tech, Emma Carvo, 5-4, Sr.., S; Idaho Falls, Idaho
Montana Western, Morgan Stenger, 6-1, Sr.. MB/RS; Columbia Falls
MSU-Northern, Kaitlyn Murdock, 5-4, Sr. DS; Lodge Grass
Rocky Mountain College, Blythe Sealey, 5-8, So., S; Roundup
University of Providence, Bailey Christensen, 5-9, Rs/So., OH/RS; Belgrade