AVCA Release

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The American Volleyball Coaches Association released its All-American teams for the 2021 season Tuesday, Nov. 16. Senior Courtney McAuliffe (Lemont, Ill.-Lemont) of the Illinois Wesleyan University women's volleyball team was named to the AVCA Division III Honorable Mention All-American squad. It is McAuliffe's first all-american recognition of her career, as well as the first by a Titan since 2018. 

Playing in 113 sets and 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. 14, the Lemont, Ill. native's 114 total blocks are good for 12th-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 imposing 2021 senior season produced several awards and nominations. As a result, she 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 guiding 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 concluded her illustrious Illinois Wesleyan volleyball by helping IWU claim the CCIW regular season and tournament titles. The Titans season came to an end in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, Nov. 11, with a three-set loss to 15th-ranked University of Northwestern-St. Paul.