Colorado State University Athletics
Photo by: Tomas Redondo
Rams trio earns AVCA All-Region honors
12/4/2018 12:45:00 PM | Volleyball
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Colorado State junior setter Katie Oleksak was named to the AVCA All-Pacific North Region team, the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced today. Junior middle blocker, Kirstie Hillyer and sophomore outside hitter Breana Runnels received Honorable Mention All-Region recognition as well. The Rams have had at least one player earn All-Region accolades every year since 2007.
Oleksak – who earned her second Mountain West Player of the Year award last week – was named to All-Region team for the third season as she led the Rams and Mountain West with 11.5 assists per set, which also ranks 13th nationally. She directs the No. 23 hitting percentage team in the country and conference leader in hitting percentage (.262), while also providing .80 blocks per set on defense. Oleksak led CSU in assists in all 31 matches this season and recorded eighteen, 40-plus assist matches. She also set Colorado State's four-set match assist record (in modern scoring) with 61 assists at Boise State on Nov. 10 and her 1,288 assists in 2018 also ranks third at CSU in modern scoring.
The junior setter was one of three setters in the region to be named All-Pacific North Region, joining Jenna Gray (Pac-12 Setter of the Year) from Stanford and August Raske from Oregon.
Hillyer, a Mountain West All-Conference selection, finished first on the team with a .363 hitting percentage, which also ranked No. 30 in the country. The junior totaled 19 matches with double-figure kills, including setting a career high 21 kills against Florida State on Sept. 1. She also finished with a 1.23 block average – 46th in the nation – and tallied a season-high eight blocks three different times, including in the NCAA Tournament against No. T19 Tennessee.
Runnels, a Mountain West All-Conference selection, earned her first All-Region nod after leading the Rams with a 454 kills, which is the most in a season in the modern scoring format. The outside averaged 4.05 kills a set, which also set the most in a season in modern scoring. Runnels totaled 29 out of 33 matches with double-figure kills, including setting a career-high in the regular-season finale against New Mexico with 23. The sophomore recorded eight double-doubles this season as she averaged 2.08 digs per set – the fourth most on the team.
Colorado State (23-8, 15-3 MW) advanced to its 24th consecutive NCAA Tournament after winning the Mountain West for the 15th time and ninth time in the last 10 seasons. The Rams also reached the 20-win plateau for the 24th year in a row – dating back to 1995.
Oleksak – who earned her second Mountain West Player of the Year award last week – was named to All-Region team for the third season as she led the Rams and Mountain West with 11.5 assists per set, which also ranks 13th nationally. She directs the No. 23 hitting percentage team in the country and conference leader in hitting percentage (.262), while also providing .80 blocks per set on defense. Oleksak led CSU in assists in all 31 matches this season and recorded eighteen, 40-plus assist matches. She also set Colorado State's four-set match assist record (in modern scoring) with 61 assists at Boise State on Nov. 10 and her 1,288 assists in 2018 also ranks third at CSU in modern scoring.
The junior setter was one of three setters in the region to be named All-Pacific North Region, joining Jenna Gray (Pac-12 Setter of the Year) from Stanford and August Raske from Oregon.
Hillyer, a Mountain West All-Conference selection, finished first on the team with a .363 hitting percentage, which also ranked No. 30 in the country. The junior totaled 19 matches with double-figure kills, including setting a career high 21 kills against Florida State on Sept. 1. She also finished with a 1.23 block average – 46th in the nation – and tallied a season-high eight blocks three different times, including in the NCAA Tournament against No. T19 Tennessee.
Runnels, a Mountain West All-Conference selection, earned her first All-Region nod after leading the Rams with a 454 kills, which is the most in a season in the modern scoring format. The outside averaged 4.05 kills a set, which also set the most in a season in modern scoring. Runnels totaled 29 out of 33 matches with double-figure kills, including setting a career-high in the regular-season finale against New Mexico with 23. The sophomore recorded eight double-doubles this season as she averaged 2.08 digs per set – the fourth most on the team.
Colorado State (23-8, 15-3 MW) advanced to its 24th consecutive NCAA Tournament after winning the Mountain West for the 15th time and ninth time in the last 10 seasons. The Rams also reached the 20-win plateau for the 24th year in a row – dating back to 1995.
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