Grafton named AVCA Region Player of the Year, Siebers earns all-region honorable mention
Mackenzie Grafton was named the Mideast Region Player of the Year as the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced its women's volleyball all-region teams as selected by the NAIA Selection Committee.
Grafton was one of 14 players named to the All-Mideast Region first team. Meredith Siebers received all-region honorable mention.
Grafton, who was named the program's first CCAC Player of the Year earlier this month, is the school's first NAIA Region Player of the Year since Amanda Ziegeweid earned the honor in 1999. The senior outside hitter from Orion, Ill., put together an amazing season. She finished with a conference-leading 522 kills, the second-most recorded by a Bee in a single season dating back to 2000. She put down double-digit kills in 29 matches and posted 18 kill-dig double-doubles. Grafton hit .205 this season and recorded 363 digs, 39 total blocks and 38 aces.
She finished her career with 1,087 career kills, 11th on SAU's all-time list. She also totaled 772 digs, 114 aces and 116 blocks.
Siebers earned all-region honorable mention for the second straight season. The opposite hitter from Quincy, Ill., finished her senior campaign with 378 kills while hitting at a .179 clip. She collected 286 digs, 75 blocks and 16 aces. In her four years with the Bees, Siebers finished ninth all-time with 1,202 career kills. She added 834 digs, 196 blocks and 86 aces.
The two powered St. Ambrose to a 20-win season, the program's first-ever CCAC Tournament championship, and a berth at the NAIA National Tournament final site.