AVCA Release

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The American Volleyball Coaches Association released its all-region teams for the 2021 campaign Thursday, Nov. 11. Senior Courtney McAuliffe (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont) of the Illinois Wesleyan University women's volleyball team received a spot on the AVCA's 14-player All-Region 8 team. It is McAuliffe's first all-region award of her career. 

Playing in all 32 of Illinois Wesleyan's matches this season, McAuliffe led the team with 299 kills, on a .299 cumulative hitting percentage. She also recorded 114 blocks in her 113 sets played. As of Nov. 7, the Lemont, Ill. native's 114 total blocks are good for 10th-best in NCAA Division III. McAuliffe tallied double-digit kills 15 times during the year. For the season, she recorded a .400 hitting percentage-or-greater in seven matches, which included season-highs of 18 kills, 20 points, five digs, and nine total blocks. 

McAuliffe's impressive 2021 campaign produced several awards and nominations. The senior was named to three all-tournament teams: the Captains Classic All-Tournament team, Sept. 4, the Holiday Inn Classic II All-Tournament Team, Sept. 25,  and the Holiday Inn Classic III All-Tournament team, Oct. 23. Additionally, McAuliffe was named College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin's Offensive "Player of the Week", Oct. 5, after having totaled 27 kills and seven blocks with a .426 hitting percentage while leading the Titans to a 2-0 record Sept. 29-Oct. 1. She also garnered First Team All-CCIW accolades at the conclusion of the regular season.

McAuliffe wrapped up her illustrious Illinois Wesleyan volleyball career after the team fell to 15th-ranked University of Northwestern-St. Paul in straight sets of the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, Nov. 11.