Posted: Nov 22, 2024

Sydney Hasenfratz and David Shumaker Lead Volleyball Honorees on All-Great Midwest Team

MIDLAND, MICH. – The Northwood University volleyball team was well represented on the All-Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) team, the league announced Friday (November 22).

Redshirt junior Sydney Hasenfratz was named G-MAC Player of the Year as well as First Team All-Great Midwest. Head coach David Shumaker was named the G-MAC Coach of the Year. Junior setter Renee Brines and senior outside hitter Kiana Martens were both name to the Second Team.

Hasenfratz is the first Northwood volleyball player to earn a conference Player of the Year award since Juliia Pakhomenko took home the GLIAC honor in 2012. This is the third straight season Hasenfratz has been named First Team All-Great Midwest. This season, she set career-highs in kills per set (3.62) attack percentage (.391) and points per set (4.4). Hasenfratz earned G-MAC North Division Player of the Week three times this season and a total of seven times in three seasons. She stands first in the G-MAC In attack percentage, fifth in kills per set, second in blocks per set (1.15) and third in points per set.

Shumaker is the first Northwood volleyball coach to earn conference Coach of the Year honors since Tim Koth in 2012. Shumaker led Northwood to its first 20-win season since 2013, finishing the year 21-8 overall. The Timberwolves went 12-3 in conference play this season, good for second place in the G-MAC. It was the best record in league play for NU since 2012 (17-1). Northwood also hosted its first post-season game since 2012.

Brines has now earned All-Great Midwest honors in all three seasons of her career, earning Third Team honors as a freshman and Second Team recognition in each of the last two seasons. She ended the year with 1,054 assists, good for 10.13 per set. That total ranked her third in the G-MAC. Brines added 70 kills, 211 digs and 24 aces this season. She has 3,270 assists for her career, good for eighth in program history.

Martens earned Second Team All-Conference honors for the second straight season. She had 315 kills this season, good for a career-high 3.0 kills per set. Martens ranked second on the team in kills and blocks (0.54) while standing third in digs (2.25 per set). She became the 17th player in program history to reach the 1,000-kill milestone this season, finishing her career with 1,114.