Mitchell, Viterbo Repeat As Women's Volleyball Top Award Winners
CHICAGO --- Just like it did with its back-to-back Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament crowns, Viterbo University also came away with the most women's volleyball postseason awards for the second straight year when the league office announced its 2025 honor roll on Monday afternoon.
The V-Hawks secured a total of seven honors, which was one better than Saint Xavier University, which finished as the tournament runner-up and tied for second place during the regular season. Viterbo also had both the most overall all-conference selections (five) and first-team picks (three), while sharing the top spot with Saint Xavier for the most elite honors (two).
Viterbo, Saint Xavier, Governors State University, Olivet Nazarene University and St. Ambrose University each had two players named to the second team, which was the highest amount for any school in that category.
A total of 14 players made up each of the two all-conference teams with another five top individual awards and one team award being presented on Monday for a total of 34 honors. Among those recognized were Viterbo's Jada Mitchell (New Albin, Iowa) and Trinity Christian College's Sharide Sykes (McDonough, Ga.), both of whom were repeat selections on the first team.
After Viterbo and Saint Xavier, Governors State University was next in line for the most overall award winners with four individuals chosen. University of St. Francis, Olivet Nazarene, St. Ambrose and Trinity Christian claimed three awards each, with Indiana University Northwest and Indiana University South Bend both having two player representatives. Judson University also secured one first-team choice.
Claiming her second straight CCAC Player of the Year award was Mitchell, who led the league and ranked among the Top 15 players in the nation in three categories, while placing in the Top 10 in two other conference areas.
The senior middle hitter leads the CCAC in blocks (156), blocks per set (1.3) and hitting percentage (.382), while ranking fifth, 12th and 13th nationally respectively in those same departments. She is also sixth in the league in kills (305) and ninth in kills per set (2.54).
Named the CCAC Libero of the Year was Saint Xavier's Avanna Martinez (Coamo, Puerto Rico), who, like Mitchell, tops the league charts in at least one statistical area. That category is her 5.85 digs-per-set average, which also currently places her seventh in the nation. The senior's 626 total digs are also second in the CCAC and 14th in the NAIA.
Joining Martinez on the awards stand from Saint Xavier was Samantha Hovey (Mackinaw, Ill.), who captured CCAC Setter of the Year recognition. The senior has produced three Top 10 league numbers with her 5.57 assists-per-set average (fourth), 574 total assists (fifth) and 3.15 digs per set (ninth).
Governors State's Greta Bochert (Stuttgart, Germany) claimed the final top individual player honor when she was chosen as the CCAC Freshman of the Year. Her top number is her 3.52 kills per set, which is second-best in the league. She is also seventh in total kills (303) and tenth in hitting percentage (.217).
Repeating as the CCAC Coach of the Year was Viterbo's Ryan DeLong, who has guided the V-Hawks to a 38-0 record against league foes and the back-to-back titles in the school's first two seasons in the conference. Viterbo heads to the NAIA National Tournament Opening Round with a No. 16 national ranking and a 27-6 overall record.
On the team side, St. Ambrose was recognized as the Champions of Character squad. The award is a sportsmanship honor that embodies the spirit of the NAIA National Champions of Character program.
For the complete list of award winners, go to Awards.