CCIW Release

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - After a dominant performance in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Regular Season, the Illinois Wesleyan University women's volleyball team took home a program-best seven All-CCIW honors, announced by the league office Monday, Nov. 10. The Titans, who completed their second straight 8-0 season in CCIW action en route to the team's second consecutive regular season championship, landed six on the first team and one on the second team. 

Illinois Wesleyan claimed three of the five specialty awards as well. Senior Taylor French (Romeoville, Ill.-Plainfield East) claimed her third straight CCIW Offensive Player of the Year honor, becoming the first player to ever do so, dating back to when the award began as the Most Outstanding Player, awarded to one student-athlete from 1986-2021. The award was split positionally between offensive and defensive beginning in 2022, and setter of the year was added in 2023. Junior Sophia Feeney (Bloomington, Ill.-Central Catholic) became the first IWU player to win the CCIW Setter of the Year award, which is in its third year of existence. 

Renamed from coach of the year to coaching staff of the year, the Illinois Wesleyan crew of head coach Kim Nelson-Brown, and assistant coaches Tyler White, Tony Gliwa, Maggie Nelson, Ryan Raycraft, and Nicole Bing Eichelberger were the recipients of the honor after helping IWU claim its first back-to-back title in program history. It marks the fifth conference coaching specialty honor in Nelson-Brown's tenure, as she was previously named coach of the year in 2003, 2018, 2021, and 2024. 

Feeney and French, along with seniors Hannah Tellor (Metamora, Ill.-Metamora Township), and Kannyn Boyd (Mt. Pleasant, Mich.-Mt. Pleasant), junior Eleanor Palmer (Chicago, Ill.-DePaul College Prep), and sophomore Alex Bardouniotis (St. Charles, Ill.-St. Charles North) all earned First Team All-CCIW honors, while freshman Lauren O'Brien (Bloomington, Ill.-Central Catholic) garnered second team status. Senior Raegan Watts (Forsyth, Ill.-Maroa Forsyth) was the recipient of IWU's CCIW RESPECT Award. 

French becomes the program's first-ever four-time First Team All-CCIW honoree, and just the  sixth Titan to earn all-conference honors in all four seasons, joining Kyleigh Block (2014-17), Tyler Brown (2015-18), Tiffany Hamblin (1999-2002), Jenna Passananti (2004-07), and Kirstin Rajala (1986-89). 

French led a dominant IWU offense that led the CCIW in every offensive statistical category. She ranked first in the conference in kills per set (3.77), points per set (4.67) and aces per set (0.77), while ranking ninth in digs per set (3.38). Needing to play just 26 sets in order to finish with the second straight season of an 8-0 record, French led the top team in the CCIW with 98 kills on a .219 attack percentage, and 20 aces, as well as recording 88 digs, seven assists, and six blocks. This season alone, French has been named the CCIW Hitter of the Week four times and was the AVCA Division III National Player of the Week for the third time in her career, adding to her already impressive resume. 

The top setter in the conference, Feeney collects her second all-conference honor after earning second team accolades last season. The junior helps run a dominant IWU offense that leads the nation in kills per set, and hit a conference-high .278 as a team during CCIW matches, while Illinois Wesleyan also led the conference in assists per set, averaging 12.41 as a team. One half of IWU's dynamic 6-2 setter duo, Feeney ranks seventh in the conference in assists per set (5.73), as she recorded 149 assists in just 26 sets played. Feeney also totaled 35 digs, nine aces, and three kills in conference action. She has twice been named the CCIW Setter of the Week this season, as she continues to guide IWU amid its historic season.

The 2024 CCIW First-Year Student Athlete of the Year, Bardouniotis picks up the first all-conference honor of her young career after playing a crucial role in the dominant IWU offense. She was second on the team in kills per set (3.27), which ranks fourth in the CCIW, while her .304 attack percentage as an outside hitter ranks seventh. Bardouniotis also ranks top-10 in points (third, 3.92), and aces (fifth, 0.58). In just 26 sets, Bardouniotis recorded 85 kills, 15 aces, 79 digs, four blocks, and three assists, and has twice been named the CCIW Hitter of the Week. 

Palmer brings in the first All-CCIW award of her career after leading a dominant IWU defense that held CCIW opponents to a conference-best .102 attack percentage. Palmer ranked second in the CCIW in hitting percentage, as she recorded a .388 mark in conference action, while her 0.73 blocks per set ranks sixth. In 26 sets during CCIW play, Palmer recorded 49 kills, an average of 1.88 per set, 19 blocks, 60 points, four digs, and two assists as a middle hitter. She earned the first CCIW Defensive Player of the Week honor of her career this season. 

Tellor takes home her second straight First Team All-CCIW accolade, as she played a vital role on both the league-leading IWU offense and defense. Tellor ranked fifth in the CCIW in hitting percentage with a mark of .328, as she recorded 53 kills for an average of 2.04 per set for the Titans. Across 26 sets, she also recorded 15 blocks, 15 digs, five aces, and an assist, and was named the CCIW Defensive Player of the Week once this season. 

Boyd, a second team All-CCIW honoree a season ago, moves up to the first team after leading a dominant IWU defense that held CCIW opponents to a conference-best .102 attack percentage, while also ranking first in the conference in digs per set (15.81). Boyd ranked second in the conference in digs per set (4.31), after recording 112 in just 26 sets. In CCIW contests, Boyd also recorded 29 assists and nine aces. She has twice been named the CCIW Defensive Player of the Week this season, and became the program's first libero to earn AVCA Division III National Player of the Week honors. 

The other half of the IWU setter duo, O'Brien brings home Second Team All-CCIW honors in her first season donning the Green and White. O'Brien helped run a dominant IWU offense that leads the CCIW in nearly every statistical category, including in assists per set with an average of 12.41. One half of IWU's dynamic 6-2 setter duo, O'Brien ranked ninth in the conference in assists per set with an average of 5.15, as she has recorded 134 assists in 26 sets played. O'Brien also ranked within the top-10 in the CCIW in aces per set, as she has averaged 0.58, good for sixth-best. Throughout CCIW contests, O'Brien has recorded 35 digs, 15 aces, and a kill for the Titans. 

Illinois Wesleyan, the top seed in the CCIW Tournament, will enjoy a bye in the opening round, and awaits the winner of No. 4 Wheaton College and No. 5 Carroll University. The CCIW Semifinal contest will occur at 7 p.m. inside Shirk Center Thursday, Nov. 13. 

CCIW Offensive Student-Athlete of the Year
Taylor French, Illinois Wesleyan

CCIW Defensive Student-Athlete of the Year
Jenna Damon, Carthage

CCIW Setter of the Year
Sophia Feeney, Illinois Wesleyan

CCIW First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year
Paige Belfield, Elmhurst

CCIW Coaching Staff of the Year
Illinois Wesleyan

First Team
Bronwyn Rowse, Carroll
Jenna Damon, Carthage
Kristina Monojlovic, Carthage
Alex Bardounitois, Illinois Wesleyan
Kannyn Boyd, Illinois Wesleyan
Sophia Feeney, Illinois Wesleyan
Taylor French, Illinois Wesleyan
Eleanor Palmer, Illinois Wesleyan
Hannah Tellor, Illinois Wesleyan
Kyra Carothers, Millikin
Jordan Bedford, Wheaton

Second Team
Payton Depies, Carroll
Ava Dettwiler, Carthage
Paige Belfield, Elmhurst
Lauren O'Brien, Illinois Wesleyan
Delaney Higgins, Millikin
Addison Oyer, Millikin
Lauren Benson, North Central
Sarah Harvey, North Central
Carolina Aviles, North Park
Meg Rothermel, North Park
Ashton Major, Wheaton

CCIW RESPECT Award Recipients
Grace Gustafson, Augustana
Carly Hicklin, Carroll
Madi Danielson, Carthage
Gianna Ptaszek, Elmhurst
Raegan Watts, Illinois Wesleyan
Charley Condill, Millikin
Kylie Hanson, North Central
Cassidy Mullens, North Park
Paris Griffin, Wheaton