Rio's Rarick, McLoughlin named to AVCA All-Region team

Rio Grande Sports Information
     LEXINGTON, Ky. - Two University of Rio Grande women's volleyball standouts are among those who have been named to the 2024 American Volleyball Coaches' Association (AVCA) NAIA All-Mid-Central Region Team.
     Senior outside hitter Amanda Rarick (Canal Winchester, OH) and junior setter Elle McLoughlin (Zanesville, OH) both represented the RedStorm on the 14-player squad.
     The 10 All-Region teams, which were chosen by the NAIA Selection Committee, were announced by the AVCA over the weekend.
     Each of the regions named 14 student-athletes to the All-Region team, while eight players earned honorable mention honors.
     Additionally, a Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Assistant Coach of the Year were selected for each region.
     Rarick led the RedStorm - and the River States Conference - with 510 kills, a figure that ranks eighth nationally.
     An All-RSC First Team pick and the league's Attacker of the Year, Rarick finished her collegiate career in second place on the school's all-time kills list with 1,770.
     McLoughlin finished second nationally with 1,389 assists, topped only by fellow All-Region first-teamer Abbigail Porter of Indiana Wesleyan University, which will play Bellevue (Neb.) in Tuesday night's national championship game.
     Also an All-RSC First Team honoree and the conference Setter of the Year, McLoughlin also led Rio with 53 service aces, was second in total blocks with 77 (16 solo, 61 assists) and ranked third on the team with 326 digs.
     The duo helped Rio Grande to a 28-9 record after a season-ending loss to Indiana University East in the semifinal round of the RSC Championship.
     The 28 wins were the most for the program in a single season since a 37-win campaign in 1992 when current head coach Billina Cooper Donaldson was a junior.
     Joining Rarick, McLoughlin and Porter on the All-Mid-Central Region First Team were outside hitters Libby Evanshine and Lyssi Snouffer of Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Mya Grigsby from Indiana University Kokomo and Eva Joldersma of Indiana Wesleyan University; middle blockers Lexi Broyles of IU Kokomo, Marisssa Mullins from Indiana Wesleyan, Maddy Payne of Bethel University and Alisha Voss from Grace College; right side hitter Martina Demarchi from Indiana Wesleyan; Marian University libero Emma Lyons; and right side/setter Reece Shirley of IU East.
     Honorable mention selections included outside hitters Paige Fortkamp from University of Saint Francis and Jessica Swimm of IU East; middle blockers Kylee Gifford from Shawnee State University, Haley Jaster of Indiana University Southeast, Teah Barrett Matthews from IU East and Nicole Wilkinson from Marian; right side hitter Aubry Koester of Midway University; and setter Kaley Lyons of IU Kokomo.
     Joldersma was named Player of the Year and Grigsby was recognized as the Freshman of the Year, while Indiana Wesleyan's Dan Bergen was named Assistant Coach of the Year and IWU's Candace Moats was named Coach of the Year.
     The All-Region first-team or honorable mention players represented 118 different NAIA schools. Leading the way with four players each were Aquinas, Bellevue, Florida College, Indiana Wesleyan, Jamestown, The Master's, Missouri Baptist, Mobile, Providence, and Saint Thomas.