NAPERVILLE – With just one day until the start of the 2024 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Women’s Volleyball Tournament, the league office unveiled the 2024 All-CCIW Women’s Volleyball Teams on Monday afternoon.
 
Illinois Wesleyan junior outside hitter Taylor French earned the league’s Offensive Student-Athlete of the Year award for the second consecutive season. North Central graduate student Bailey Houlihan was voted CCIW Defensive Student-Athlete of the Year, while NCC teammate and senior Maddi Barickman was named CCIW Setter of the Year.
 
The regular-season champion Titans received additional postseason specialty awards when freshman outside hitter Alex Bardouniotis was selected CCIW First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year and head coach Kim Nelson-Brown collected the CCIW Coach of the Year award for the fourth time.
 
French becomes the first repeat winner of a CCIW Student-Athlete of the Year award since Karen Chin of Carthage (2014-15). She finished the eight-match CCIW schedule as the league leader in service aces (0.73 per set) and ranked second among all players in kills (4.71 per set) and scoring (5.43 points per set). Additionally, she was one of only two players in the league to rank among the top 10 in both scoring and digs per set (10th, 3.13 per set).
 
Houlihan made the most out of her only season in Naperville, averaging a league-high 5.88 digs per set for the Cardinals in league action. She was the only player in the CCIW to have multiple conference matches with at least 33 digs and also ranked sixth among CCIW players with 0.48 service aces per set.
 
Barickman paced the CCIW with 9.67 assists per set and 319 total assists. Alongside Houlihan, Barickman is the first North Central player to earn a postseason specialty award from the CCIW since Laura Kluk was named First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year in 2012.
 
Bardouniotis was one of only three players in the CCIW to have at least 19 service aces during the conference schedule and her 0.66 aces per set ranked fourth in the league. She also averaged 2.86 digs and 2.21 kills per set, while her 87.0 points scored in CCIW action ranked second on the team only behind French.
 
Nelson-Brown is the CCIW Coach of the Year for the fourth time after previously earning the award in 2003, 2018 and 2021. She directed the Titans to 20 wins in the regular season and a perfect 8-0 mark in conference play for the Titans’ sixth regular-season CCIW championship – five of which have come during Nelson-Brown’s tenure. IWU finished the league slate as the CCIW leader in points (16.95 per set), kills (13.23 per set), assists (12.10 per set), opponents’ hitting percentage (.139), opponents’ blocks (1.37 per set) and opponents’ service aces (1.20 per set).

A total of 22 players were recognized as All-CCIW selections on Monday, 10 of which were repeat picks from a year ago. Carthage led the way with five overall All-CCIW selections, four of which were on the First Team. Illinois Wesleyan and North Central had four honorees apiece, while Millikin landed three. French was joined by Carthage’s Jenna Damon, Millikin’s Kailee Itzenhuiser, Barickman, and North Park’s Adriana Rodriguez as repeat First Team choices.
 
Additionally, Rodriguez is now a four-time All-CCIW First Team pick, while French, Itzenhuier, Barickman have earned three First Team nods since 2022.

Monday's announcement also included nine recipients of the CCIW RESPECT award. At the conclusion of every sports season, each varsity program will recognize one student-athlete as their RESPECT Award honoree. RESPECT Award recipients have distinguished themselves as an integral member of the team, their institution and community by upholding the values of Responsibility, Enthusiasm, Service, Pride, Excellence, Collaboration and Trust. The RESPECT Award recognizes the intangible traits a student-athlete possesses that exemplify great character and encourages inclusiveness and a positive culture.
 
CCIW Offensive Student-Athlete of the Year
Taylor French, Illinois Wesleyan
 
CCIW Defensive Student-Athlete of the Year
Bailey Houlihan, North Central
 
CCIW Setter of the Year
Maddi Barickman, North Central
 
CCIW First-Year Student-Athlete of the Year
Alex Bardouniotis, Illinois Wesleyan
 
CCIW Coach of the Year
Kim Nelson-Brown
 
All-CCIW First Team
Devinn Bell, Carthage, Sr., S, Lindenhurst, Ill., Lakes
Jenna Damon, Carthage, Jr., DS, Durand, Ill., Durand
Kristina Manojlovic, Carthage, So., OH/RS, Skokie, Ill., Niles West 
Kaitie Rohe, Carthage, Sr., OH/RS, Palos Heights, Ill., Shepard
Taylor French, Illinois Wesleyan, Jr., OH, Romeoville, Ill., Plainfield East
Hannah Tellor, Illinois Wesleyan, Jr., UT, Metamora, Ill., Metamora
Kyra Carothers, Millikin, So., MB, Quincy, Ill., Unity
Delaney Higgins, Millikin, Jr., OH, Milan, Mich., Milan
Kailee Itzenhuiser, Millikin, Sr., OH, Naperville, Ill., Naperville
Maddi Barickman, North Central, Sr., S, Geneseo, Ill., Geneseo
Bailey Houlihan, North Central, Gr., DS, Naperville, Ill., Nequa Valley
Adriana Rodriguez, North Park, Sr., OH, Carolina, Puerto Rico, Saint Francis
 
All-CCIW Second Team
Emily Schipper, Augustana, 5th, OH, Fulton, Ill., Fulton
Kylie Wittnebel, Carroll, So., MB/OH, Beaver Dam, Wis., Beaver Dam
Liv Carel, Carthage, Sr., RS/OH, St. Michael, Minn., St. Michael Albertville
Kali Phillips, Elmhurst, Sr., OPP, Queen Creek, Ariz., Turpin
Kannyn Boyd, Illinois Wesleyan, Jr., DS, Mount Pleasant, Mich., Mount Pleasant
Sophia Feeney, Illinois Wesleyan, So., DS, Bloomington, Ill., Normal Community
Abbi Barickman, North Central, Sr., OH, Geneseo, Ill., Geneseo
Amber Vande Hei, North Central, Sr., MB, Green Bay, Wis., Preble
Carolina Aviles, North Park, Jr., DS, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, Colegio Adianez
Caroline Capps, Wheaton, Sr., OH, Middletown, Del., Red Lion Christian Academy
 
CCIW RESPECT Award Recipients
Ashley Awbrey, Augustana, Sr., DS, Orion, Ill., Orion
Rebekah Andreae, Carroll, Sr., MB, Sturgeon Bay, Wis., Sevastopol
Ella Pettinger, Carthage, Sr., MB, Dubuque, Iowa, Wahlert Catholic
Kellyn Kennedy, Elmhurst, Sr., S, Appleton, Wis., Appleton East
Abby Erdman, Illinois Wesleyan, Sr., S, Aurora, Ill., Metea Valley
Kaitlyn Skowronski, Millikin, Sr. OH, Naperville, Ill., Naperville Central
Sarah Harvey, North Central, Fr., S, Bolingbrook, Ill., Bolingbrook
Stefania Balestra, North Park, Sr., DS, Caracas, Venezuela, Academia Washington
Emerson Traweek, Wheaton, Sr., OH, Centerton, Ark., Shiloh Christian School