Volleyball Has Three Earn HCAC Postseason Honors

GREENWOOD, IND.  --  Three members of the Defiance College volleyball team were recognized by the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference for the individual performances this past season.  Sophomore Meredith Shank (Maumee/Springfield) was named All-HCAC and senior Rebecca Kain (Orland, Ind./Prairie Heights) was tabbed honorable mention All-HCAC.  In addition, Marissa Windau (Castalia/Margaretta) was selected to the HCAC All-Freshman Team and Kain was also named to the All-Sportsmanship Team.  

Shank was named to the All-HCAC Teams for the second time after earning honorable mention and All-Freshman accolades last season.  This past fall, she led the team in kills with 296 (2.93 kills per set) with a .150 hitting percentage.  Shank ranked in the top-ten (ninth) in kills in the conference (296) and posted 106 kills against HCAC opponents to rank fourth in that category.  She had 15 matches this season with 10 or more kills, including a career-high 20 kills against Otterbein University.  Shank also had 10 assists during the year to go along with 18 service aces.  Defensively, she was one of seven players to record a minimum of 100 digs (107) and averaged 1.06 digs per set.  She was fourth on the team in blocks with 25 (eight solo and 17 assists).

Kain capped a standout four-year career as a honorable mention All-HCAC recipient in addition to All-Sportsmanship Team honors.  It marks her second consecutive season garnering honorable mention accolades.  Kain recorded a record-setting year with a single-season mark in digs of 648 (5.68 digs per set) and ranked third in the HCAC and 22nd nationally.  Her 5.68 d/s average was third best overall in the conference and 16th in Division III.  Kain recorded double-digit dig totals in all but two matches this season, including posting a career-high 36 digs against Franklin (Ind.) College.  Also this season, Kain was third on the team in aces with 25 and also tallied one kill and 62 set assists.

For her career, Kain is the program's all-time leader in digs with 1,927 (4.45 d/s).  She owns a combined eight school records (single season and career) in both the all-time and 25-point scoring eras, including career marks in digs and digs per set (4.45).  She owns single-season records for digs, digs per set, and serve percentage (.949).  Kain played in 120 matches (433 sets) and had 12 kills, 149 assists, 75 aces and three blocks (one solo and two assists).

Windau ends a solid first season with the Purple & Gold with her All-Freshman Team selection.  She becomes the fifth DC player selected to the All-Freshman Team since the conference created the award in 2008.  Windau finished second on the team in kills with 274 (2.40 k/s) with a .154 hitting percentage.  Her 274 kills were the 12th most in the conference overall and second highest amongst freshmen.  She recorded 14 matches with 10 or more kills with a season-high 15 kills against PSU-Behrend.  In addition to her 274 kills, Windau was fourth in aces with 24 and second in blocks with 31 (six solo and 25 assists).  She also had 100 digs (0.88 d/s) defensively.