Returning Players (Outsides)

I end my little series on the top returning players in the West Region with the outside hitters. A lot of times outsides are taken for granted but you sure notice it when a team doesn’t have one or (yikes!) two. A large part of being an outside is having multiple shots in your arsenal because they get so many out-of-system balls, which is why you never see the position rated highly in hitting percentage. The other part of being an outside is knowing that in four years, you will struggle to raise your arm over your shoulder.

As a reminder, I chose players based on awards won in 2017 and after sprinkling in some of the NCAA statistical leaders from last year. I’m sure this will cause some excellent players to fall through the crack but hopefully any anger generated will be focused on this upcoming season and not to me personally.

Note – I went a little crazy but it was hard to find a cutoff point for this group.

Dylan Brinkman (UT-Dallas – OH – Sophomore)

Brinkman is the only player I’ve selected to focus on that didn’t play last year. She was out due to injury but her 2016 freshman year included first-team All-Conference honors. For that year, Brinkman had 421 kills, 44 service aces and 45 total blocks for an amazing 488.5 points. Brinkman averaged 4.21 points per set that year, which would have lead the West Region this year (as would have her 3.63 kills per set). If Brinkman can come back to her normal self then UT-Dallas will be off and running in 2018.

Codie Conchig (Whitman – OH/Libero – Senior)

Conchig was a first-team All-Conference selection in the NWC but she may have the least amount of kills of this group. After two years contributing to the team as a DS and libero, Conchig got the chance to swing during the second half of the season. She finished the year with 139 kills, 21 aces and 7 total blocks for 163.5 points. What makes her an All-Conference selection, however, is she plays six-rotations and is outstanding defensively and in the service return. It will be interesting to see what color her jersey is this season.

Jamison Duck (Southwestern – OH – Senior)

Duck just completed her second straight 400+ point season but good luck finding her on the 2017 awards page. You can find her on the NCAA statistics page as she is second in the West Region in aces per set (0.57/97^th nationally) and second in total aces (76/15^th nationally). Duck also has 990 total attacks (133^rd nationally) and 321 kills (186^th nationally). Duck is a six-rotation player and recorded 479 digs (156^th nationally) last season. With the graduation losses suffered by the Pirates, you can expect another 400+ point season in Duck’s final year.

Karlee Duncan (Pacific – OH – Junior)

Duncan was a second-team All-Conference selection out of the NWC this past year. Duncan was probably the most important hitter for any team in the West Region as she led the region in both kills per set (3.61/62^nd nationally) and points per set (4.06/73^rd nationally). Duncan was certainly the go-to player on the Boxers as she also averaged 10.71 attacks per set (50^th nationally). For the year she had 300 kills, 8 aces and 45 total blocks for 337 points. Duncan also contributed 215 digs while playing six rotations.

Danyle Dupray (George Fox – OH – Senior)

Dupray was a first-team All-Conference selection for the NWC this past year and the leader in the clubhouse to have that shoulder problem I just mentioned in another year. Dupray has played in every match in her three-years at George Fox and averaged 10.61 attacks per set (54^th nationally) this past season. She averaged 3.43 kills per set (92^nd nationally) and 3.74 points per set (137^th nationally). Dupray had 240 kills, 14 aces and 15 total blocks for 261.5 points and is a six-rotation player that also had 263 digs on the year. Her status as the go-to player in 2018 shouldn’t change as she tries to lead the Bruins to the NWC title.

Chloe Epker (Pacific Lutheran – OH – Senior)

Epker, a second-team All-Conference selection, is another outside hitter out of the NWC that sees a lot of action. Epker was second in the West Region averaging 11.41 attacks per set (28^th nationally) which led to a 3.00 kills per set average (220^th nationally) and 3.60 points per set average (179^th nationally). For the year, Epker finished with 331 points, 276 kills, 22 aces, 61 total blocks and 327 digs. Epker will once again need to lead the Lutes in scoring as they try to live up to my high preseason ranking.

Makenzie Griffin (Texas Lutheran – OH – Junior)Hannah Mikelonis (Texas Lutheran – OH – Sophomore)Bryten Mitchan (Texas Lutheran – OH/RS – Junior)

I know…three outside hitters listed from the same school? I missed Mitchan as a right side as she was listed as an outside so I’ll use this time to spread around some Bulldog love. Griffin is a first-team All-Conference selection, Mikelonis was Co-Freshman of the Year and Mitchan was named on the SCAC All-Tournament team. Griffin and Mikelonis are the workhorses on the team as both appear in the top 250 list for attacks per set. Griffin is the more deadly of the three as she averaged 3.28 kills per set (129^th nationally) and 3.50 points per set (221^st nationally). All three made the total kills list, as well with Griffin coming in at 65, Mikelonis at 157 and Mitchan at 188 nationally. Finally, all three scored over 350 points on the year (Griffin at 419.5, Mitchan 355 and Mikelonis at 354). The SCAC is all about the trio of Colorado College, Trinity and Southwestern, but this trio of hitters may have some changes in mind this season.

Haley Harris (Colorado College – OH – Junior)Jordan Mullen (Colorado College – OH – Junior)

Mullen may be the best outside returning in the West Region this year. Her hitting percentage is 0.280 (167^th nationally), her kills per set is 3.25 (138^th nationally) and her points per set is 3.55 (195^th nationally). She was a second-team All-Conference selection in the SCAC, honorable mention All-American and the MVP of the SCAC Tournament. She also had an amazing NCAA Tournament but was left off the All-Tournament team due to the insanity of everyone involved. For the year she had 362.5 points and led the Tigers to a great season. Harris has always been a favorite of mine once I saw her actually fly during a match. I’m not saying she jumped high. I’m saying she physically flew. Harris was a second-team All-Conference selection and made the SCAC All-Tournament team. She contributed 310 points with 280 digs and will be a strong player again as the Tigers go for a national championship.

Emiko Kahler (Whitworth – OH – Junior)

Kahler was a first-team All-Conference selection whose role will only increase with the graduation of second-team All-Conference Cassandra Mendoza. She finished the year with 260 kills, 20 aces and 18 total blocks for 290 points. She also played great defense with 255 digs on the year. Whitworth worries me a bit as a team this year but Kahler has the skill to carry the Pirates, if needed.

Mayson Kennon (Austin College – OH – Sophomore)

Another under-the-radar player out of the SCAC is Austin College’s Mayson Kennon. As a freshman she ended the year with 317 kills, 10 aces and 27 total blocks for 341.5 points. I believe she’ll be given even more chances this season with the graduation of Dani DeWitt. A four-year starting outside is a wonderful find for any coach and it will be interesting to see what records will fall to her once her career is completed.

Kortney Meyer (Lewis & Clark – OH/MB – Senior)

I didn’t get to watch a lot of Pioneers volleyball but I do remember Meyer and I also remember her hitting out of a lot of different looks. Her versatility and skill will be needed again this year as Lewis & Clark try to compete in the NWC. For her part last year, Meyer averaged 3.07 kills per set (195^th nationally) and 3.59 points per set (182^nd nationally). As can be expected she was utilized a lot in their offense, which led to 255 kills, 27 aces, 28 total blocks for 298 points. Meyer is a three-year starter for the team but was moved over to outside this past year and just excelled at it.

Corinne Novak (Mary Hardin-Baylor – OH – Sophomore)

Between the ASC and the SCAC, it sort of feels like every freshman outside hitter should come in and score 300+ points in a season. Novak is another one who came in and left her freshman year with 317 kills (197^th nationally) and 340 points not to mention 261 digs. She was selected All-Conference in the ASC, ASC West Division Freshman of the Year and the West Region Freshman of the Year. She ended the year playing great and was selected to the ASC All-Tournament team. It will be interesting to see if Novak can reach 400 points this season and how far she can take the Cru.

Amanda Roberts (Cal Lutheran – OH – Senior)

Roberts was a second-team All-Conference selection out of the SCIAC this past season. She led the team in points with 317.5 and more will be expected with the graduation of first-team All-Conference Hope Stewart. Roberts had 277 kills with 27 aces and 24 total blocks. She led the team in digs with 312 and you have to love these six-rotation outsides that can do everything on the court. Roberts has had a tremendous career at Cal Lutheran that started her freshman year with a national championship. She’ll now be called on to again move the program towards that ultimate goal.

Makenzie Thieme (Whittier – OH – Senior)Ashley Whittall (Whittier – OH – Sophomore)

Whittier has a wonderful team but when you think of the Poets, you think of their outstanding outside hitters. Thieme was first-team All-Conference and honorable mention All-American. Whittall was second-team All-Conference and SCIAC Newcomer of the Year. Thieme and Whittall were 8^th and 9^th in the West Region in attacks per set so if you want to set for Whittier you better figure out how to get the ball out to the pin. Thieme averaged 3.87 points per set (107^th nationally) and 3.45 points per set (90^th nationally). Whittall averaged 3.06 points per set (206^th nationally) and both players were among the top 250 in total kills. Together this pair of outsides scored 742.5 points or over 46% of all of the points the team scored in 2017. Look for another great year from these two and how they perform against CMS will probably determine the conference champion.