2012 Player & Team of the Year
Each Monday in the fall, one player originally reported as a recruit by AVSR Global is named Player of the Week for her performance of the past week and current season.
2012 Player of the Year:Kelsie Wills
Hofstra University, Sophomore, 6'1" Outside Hitter
Home:Walton, New Zealand
Reported by AVSR Global:October 2010
See Kelsie Wills’s bio at the Hofstra University web site.
Season Highlights:
• Wills powered Hofstra to the Colonial Athletic Association championship and into the NCAA tournament. It was the Pride’s first bid to the NCAA tourney since 2006.
• Earned the Most Outstanding Performer award at the CAA Championship.
• The sophomore carried a giant load for Hofstra all season. She scored 4.4 kills per set on 1600 swings while posting 293 digs (2.2/set), 72 blocks (0.6/set), and 39 aces (0.3/set).
• Wills stood tall in Hofstra’s first-round NCAA tournament loss at Florida State. She led both teams with 14 kills, hitting at .270 efficiency.
Excerpt from original AVSR Global report (2010):
“Exciting but unrefined player with a lively body and sharp instincts everywhere on the court. .... Has big moments as an aggressive swinger. Especially dangerous at terminating off-target sets. .... Can play six rotations in the top third of Division I as a LH or RH.”
2012 Team of the Year:University of North Florida
Atlantic Sun Conference Championship runner-up.
Overall record 22-12, Atlantic Sun 11-7.
Jumped 123 RPI places in two years — from 273 to 150 — with three AVSR Global starters.
Starters reported as recruits by AVSR Global:
• Anna Budinska; Junior; 5' 9" Outside Hitter; Prague, Czech Republic.
Excerpt from original AVSR Global report (2009):
“Above all else, Anna is a player. .... What separates her are her knack for making choices and her adaptive skills as six-rotation, old-school gamer. A sound recruit for mid-Division I.”
• Dagnija Medina, Senior; 6' 0" Middle Blocker; Riga, Latvia.
Excerpt from original AVSR Global report (2008):
“Can be an immediate, six-rotation starter in upper/mid-Division I. .... Plays an observant, efficient, spontaneous game, excelling in out-of-system reactions and decisions.”
• Marija Pantovic; Senior; 6'2" Opposite; Belgrade, Serbia.
Excerpt from original AVSR Global report (2007):
“Light, long, easy-moving athlete. Ready to play RH in upper/mid-Division I. Also recruitable as a middle blocker. Seven years of high-level experience and good, all-purpose skills.”
2012 Players of the Week
Click name for bio and Player of the Week report.
| Week | Name | College | Position | Year | Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Kelsie Wills | Hofstra University | LH | So. | N. Zealand |
| #2 | Laine Cielena | Barry University | MB | Fr. | Latvia |
| #3 | Anna Budinska | Univ. of North Florida | LH | Jr. | CzechRep. |
| #4 | Eseta Maka | College of S. Idaho | MB | So. | N. Zealand |
| #5 | Marta Machos | Towson University | RH | Sr. | Poland |
| #6 | Sabina Piegza | St. John’s University | Setter | Sr. | Poland |
| #7 | Jelena Jovanovic | Florida Atlantic Univ. | Setter | Fr. | Serbia |
| #8 | Martyna Gluchowicz | Cowley County C.C. | RH/LH | So. | Poland |
| #9 | Dagnija Medina | Univ. of North Florida | MB | Sr. | Latvia |
| #10 | Katarina Bursac | U.of Texas-Brownsville | Setter | Fr. | Serbia |
| #11 | AleksandraPetronijevic | University of Memphis | Libero | So. | Serbia |
| #12 | Iva Partaleva | Binghamton University | LH | Sr. | Bulgaria |
| #13 | Kelsie Wills | Hofstra University | LH | So. | N. Zealand |
| #14 | Viktorija Jablonska | Texas Woman’s Univ. | RH/Set | Sr. | Latvia |
| #15 | VladislavaKopanarova | MidAmericaNazareneU. | MB | Jr. | Bulgaria |
