CW
Courtney Wagner
  • physical education
  • Class of 2018
  • DeKalb, Ill.

DeKalb Native Wagner is Part of WIAC Volleyball Title, NCAA Tournament Bid at UW-Whitewater

2016 Nov 9

Courtney Wagner, a native of DeKalb, IL, and graduate of DeKalb High School, is a member of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team, which begins play in the 2016 NCAA Division III Tournament this Thursday against Greenville (Ill.) at 8 p.m. at Kris Russell Volleyball Arena.

Wagner, a junior at UW-Whitewater, is majoring in physical education.

For the second straight year, the Warhawks were selected to host the Regional round of the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship. The eight-team Whitewater Regional also includes Bluffton (Ohio), Elmhurst (Ill.), Heidelberg (Ohio), Hope (Mich.), Washington-St. Louis and UW-Oshkosh.

UW-Whitewater (27-6 overall) is the No. 1 seed in the regional and enters Thursday's contest on an eight-match winning streak, a span that includes six victories over regionally ranked opponents and three wins over nationally ranked foes.

The Warhawks claimed a share of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season championship and won the WIAC Tournament to clinch the league's automatic NCAA bid.

UW-Whitewater, which is making its 25th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament, is a two-time national champion, claiming titles in 2002 and 2005. The team has been to the national tournament in all 12 of head coach Stacy Boudreau's seasons at the helm of the program.

The Warhawks, who are ranked 11th in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III Coaches Top 25, own a 17-0 record playing at home this season entering the NCAA Tournament. The team is 32-1 at Russell Arena over the last two years.

First team All-WIAC honorees Staci Hasler (Sheboygan Falls, Wis./Sheboygan Falls), Lauren Pfeifer (Fort Atkinson, Wis./Fort Atkinson) and Courtney Wagner (Dekalb, Ill./Dekalb) lead UW-Whitewater entering NCAA play.

Hasler, a senior setter, ranks third in the WIAC in both assists (1,071) and assists per set (9.56). Pfeifer, a senior outside hitter, leads the team and ranks sixth in the conference in both kills (353 / 2.92 per set) and points (433 / 3.58 per set). Both Hasler and Pfeifer were All-Americans in 2015.

Wagner leads the league in both hitting percentage (.298) and blocks (135 / 1.12 per set). The junior middle hitter is among the nation's top 10 in blocks.

Junior right side hitter Sydney Racky (Walworth, Wis./Big Foot) and sophomore libero Brittany Robinson(Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) were selected honorable mention All-WIAC. Racky is second in the conference with a .295 hitting percentage, and Robinson leads the team and ranks among the league's top three in digs (573 / 4.74 per set) and service aces (50).

Greenville (25-7) is making its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance and third overall. The Panthers claimed an automatic bid by winning the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament championship.

As a team, Greenville leads the SLIAC and ranks 16th nationally with 2.18 blocks per set. Savannah Sells leads the team in that category (128 / 1.10) and is followed closely by Brittni Bell (114 / 1.02) and Sierah Ruffner (107 / 0.96).

Allyson Mitchell leads the Panthers in kills (417 / 3.63 per set) and service aces (61). Kirsten Laune leads the team in assists (1,068 / 9.45 per set), and Ruffner leads it in hitting percentage (.312).

Thursday's match is the first-ever meeting between UW-Whitewater and Greenville.

The winner of the match faces the winner of the Elmhurst (Ill.)/Hope (Mich.) match on Friday at 7 p.m.

The regional championship match is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday.