Another All-America Honor for WLU's Clayton
GREENVILLE, S.C. – One day after becoming West Liberty University’s first NCAA Division II volleyball All-American, Madison Clayton did it again!
The 6-5 middle blocker and graduate student from Roseville, Ohio was honored on Wednesday as one of seven Honorable Mention All-Americans when the 2021 Division II Conference Commissioners’ Association (D2CCA) All-America Team was announced. Clayton was an honorable mention choice on the 2021 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America Team, which was released on Tuesday.
With three 7-player teams and a 7-player honorable mention list, the 2021 D2CCA NCAA Division II All-America Team honors 28 players from 17 schools. West Florida led the way with four All-Americans – one on each unit – led by 2021 Ron Lenz National Player of the Year Veresia Yon, a sophomore middle hitter from Tallahassee, Fla.
Clayton took her turn in the national spotlight, as well, this season, ranking No. 6 among all NCAA Division II women with an MEC-high 148 total blocks. The first-team D2CCA and AVCA All-Region pick also ranked among the MEC Top 10 in kills, hitting percentage and points scored to earn her third straight first-team All-MEC honor. She is West Liberty’s all-time record holder in career hitting percentage at .313.
With Clayton dominating at the net, Coach Riley Schenk’s Hilltoppers posted a 21-win season and achieved the highest regional ranking in school history. Clayton excelled with a career-high 21 kills and 8 blocks in a 4-set win over NCAA Division II Atlantic Region qualifier East Stroudsburg (Pa.). She also had a career-high 12 blocks in a narrow 5-set loss to MEC champion and Atlantic Region finalist Wheeling to go along with a 15-kill, 9-block night in the rematch with the Cardinals.
West Virginia State senior outside hitter Jenna Dufresne, the 2021 MEC and D2CCA Atlantic Region Player of the Year, joined Clayton as the only two Atlantic Region players to earn D2CCA All-America honors. Dufresne was a second-team selection.
The 2021 D2CCA All-America Team is selected in voting by the nation’s NCAA Division II sports information directors while the 2021 AVCA All-America Team and is voted on by the NCAA Division II head coaches who are members of that national coaching organization.
VOLLEYBALL
Division II Conference Commissioners' Association (D2CCA)
2021 NCAA Division II All-America Team
FIRST TEAM
Pos. Name School Yr. Hometown
OH Alexis Cardoza CSU-San Bernardino Sr. Chino Hills, Calif.
OH Erin Krupar Ashland Sr. East Sparta, Ohio
OH Rylee Hladky MSU-Denver So. Gillette, Wyo.
MH Veresia Yon West Florida So. Tallahassee, Fla.
MH Audrey Fisher Central Missouri Sr. Lenexa, Kan.
L/DS Faith Rottinghaus Washburn Sr. Berryton, Kan.
S Maddy Torve St. Cloud State Sr. Loretto, Minn.
*-Ron Lenz Player of the Year: Veresia Yon, West Florida
SECOND TEAM
Pos. Name School Yr. Hometown
OH Charlotte Richards Missouri-St. Louis Sr. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
OH JENNA DUFRESNE W.VA. STATE SR. BEDFORD, IND.
OH Genna Berg Washburn Sr Blue Springs, Mo.
MH Megan Flom Winona State Gr. Kenyon, Minn.
MH Allyssa Can Wienen Hillsdale (Mich.) Sr. Grand Rapids, Mich.
L/DS Jamie Poppen Lewis (Ill.) Sr. Baldwin, Mo.
S Taylor Vaneekeren West Florida Jr. Naperville, Ill.
THIRD TEAM
Pos. Name School Yr. Hometown
OH Kenzie Foley St. Cloud State So. Sergeant Bluff, Iowa
OH Payton Kirchhoefer NW Missouri State R-Fr. Omaha, Neb.
OH Madi Cooler West Florida Jr. Hilton Head, S.C.
MH Alison Maxwell Washburn Sr. Jefferson City, Mo.
MH Jalyn Hayes CSU-San Bernardino R-Jr. San Bernardino, Calif.
L/DS Kari Mercer USC-Aiken So. Hilliard, Ohio
S Lindsey Mertz Hillsdale (Mich.) Sr. Frankenmuth, Mich.
HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICAN
Pos. Name School Yr. Hometown
OH Journey Blevins Findlay Fr. Richwood, Ohio
OH Gabby Gunterman Western Washington Jr. Lake Stevens, Wash.
OH Katie McKiel Tampa Sr. Colorado Springs, Colo.
MH Olivia Fairchild Western Washington Jr. Olympia, Wash.
MH MADISON CLAYTON WEST LIBERTY GR. ROSEVILLE, OHIO
L/DS Ashton Marshall West Florida Sr. Gainesville, Fla.
S Bre Maloney Winona State Gr. Roseville, Minn.