2021 Preseason All-Southland Conference Volleyball Teams announced

HBU, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi produced five selections apiece on the 2021 Southland Conference Preseason All-Conference volleyball teams.

FRISCO, Texas – HBU and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi produced five selections apiece on the 2021 Southland Conference Preseason All-Conference volleyball teams, announced Monday afternoon. Southland preseason all-conference teams are presented by Ready.

Reigning conference and tournament champion A&M-Corpus Christi garnered three automatic first-team nods in Carissa Barnes, Faith Panhans and Rachel Young, along with second-teamers Kylie Filipak and Montez Uigaese. The Islanders cruised through the 2020-21 season with a 14-5 overall record and a 9-3 mark in conference play, concluding the year with a first-round appearance at the NCAA tournament. A three-time Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week in 2021, Barnes recorded 398 digs and 40 service aces over all 69 sets. Panhans, Uigaese and Filipak each recorded over 115 kills. Young led the conference with a hitting percentage of .355 and finished second on the team with 33 blocks.

HBU will be led by Jade Allen, Ebonie Ballesteros, Mikayla Vivens and Ellie Wipf who earned automatic first-team honors after leading the Huskies to a 9-10 overall record and an 8-4 conference record. Kaley Feris rounded out HBU honorees on the second team. Faris and Vivens ranked tied for first on the team with 221 digs. Allen, now a senior, appeared in 19 matches while averaging 2.92 kills per set, logging 11 service aces and seven solo blocks. Ballesteros proved to be a threat at the net leading the conference with 70 blocks, including a team-high 12 solo blocks. Wipf was one of two Huskies to start all 19 matches and led the Conference with 10.60 assists per set in conference play.

The Lions were represented by Crispin Adams on the first team and Karlee Wilkerson on the second team. Adams, capturing an automatic first-team honor, ranked second on the team with 46 blocks and recorded 1.44 kills per set over all 16 matches. Wilkerson ranked second on the team with 125 kills, logging 28 blocks and 28 digs over all 67 sets played.

UIW will be led by first-team automatic honoree Bethany Clapp and second-teamer Jackie Arrington. Clapp finished first on the team with 197 kills, logged 11 service aces and ranked third in the conference with 4.02 kills per set. Arrington concluded her freshman year with a team-high 35 blocks and finished third on the team with 77 kills.

McNeese accounted for two selections in automatic first-teamer Regan Stiawalk and second-team honoree Kendall Glueck. Northwestern State’s second-team honoree Haley Huang rounded out the 2021 preseason teams.

Returning players from the 2020-21 All-Conference teams were automatically named to the 2021 preseason all-conference rosters. Vacant positions are nominated and voted upon by the conference’s head coaches. Voting for one’s own players is not permitted.

First Team
Name Cl. Pos. School Hometown
Jada Allen1 Sr. MB HBU, Desoto, Texas
Ebonie Ballesteros1 Sr. MB HBU, El Paso, Texas
Mikayla Vivens1 Sr. OH HBU, San Antonio, Texas
Ellie Wipf1 Jr. S HBU, New Braunfels, Texas
Bethany Clapp1 Sr. OH UIW, Corpus Christi, Texas
Regan Stiawalt1 Sr. OH McNeese, Ness City, Kan.
Crispin Adams1 Jr. MB Southeastern, Brookshire, Texas
Carissa Barnes1 So. L Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Weatherford, Texas
Faith Panhans1 So. S Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Plano, Texas
Rachel Young1 Jr. MB Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Frisco, Texas

Second Team
Name Cl. Pos. School Hometown
Kaley Feris So. L HBU, North Richland Hills, Texas
Jackie Arrington So. MB UIW, Houston, Texas
Kendall Glueck Jr. OH McNeese, Tomball, Texas
Haley Hoang Jr. L Northwestern State, Plano, Texas
Karlee Wilkerson Sr. OPP Southeastern, Springfield, LA.
Kylie Filipak Sr. OH Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Michigan City, IND.
Montez Uigaese Gr. OH Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Long Beach, Calif.

1 2020-21 All-Conference Selection