Volleyball Built Around True Student-Athletes

The postseason recognition for the Heidelberg College volleyball team continues to pour in. More impressive than its run in the postseason is the idea that the team prides itself not only on excelling on the court, but in the classroom as well. Its classroom success is evident with six student-athletes earning a spot on the 2007 Ohio Athletic Conference Academic Volleyball Team. The team is voted on by the conferences faculty athletic representatives and consists of student-athletes that carry at least a 3.20 grade point average and is a starter or key reserve in at least their sophomore year of eligibility. Heidelberg, along with Otterbein College, has a league-leading six honorees apiece.

Leading the way on the All-OAC Academic Team is seniors Kristy Bollenbacher (Huron, Ohio / Huron), Kendra Orwig (Castalia, Ohio / Margaretta) and Whitney Magers (Green Springs, Ohio / Old Fort), along with junior Emily Hurlburt (St. Mary’s, Ohio / Memorial) and sophomore Morgan Magers (Green Springs, Ohio / Old Fort). Earning honorable mention accolades was junior Audra Vucic (Lancaster, Ohio / Fisher Catholic).

Along with her OAC academic honor, Bollenbacher also earned a spot on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 4 Second Team, as voted on by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). She carries a 3.94 gpa as an education major. The defensive specialist finished the year second on the team with 51 service aces, while standing third in digs with 455. For her career, Bollenbacher ranks fifth in the Heidelberg record book in service aces with 132 and is sixth in digs (1,156) and games played (380). Her 51 aces on the year stands in a tie for eighth in the single-season record book, while her 50 aces from 2006 is 10th.

Orwig served as Heidelberg’s libero in 2007 and picked up a team-high 774 digs, which stands second in the single-season record book. Orwig also tallied 43 service aces on the year. She is an education major that boasts a 3.93 gpa. Within the single-season record book, Orwig’s 5.83 digs per game average for the year is second. Since 2004, Orwig has picked up 1,299 digs and will graduate standing fourth all-time in digs at Heidelberg.

Adding a solid force at outside hitter over the course of the last four years has been Whitney Magers. She will graduate with a degree in education and owns a 3.65 cumulative grade point average. During the season, Whitney Magers was student teaching, while leading the Berg in service aces with a single-season record of 73. She also ranked third on the team with 305 kills, while picking up 230 digs and 59 blocks. Her 0.56 service aces per game mark stands fifth in the single-season record book. For her career, Whitney Magers has tallied 138 service aces, which has her inked in fourth place all-time.

Exploding in the middle in 2007 was Hurlburt. She led the team with 382 kills, a .329 attack percentage and 121 blocks. Hurlburt also picked up 17 service aces and 64 digs on the year. In the classroom, Hurlburt carries a 3.67 gpa as an education major. Hurlburt was tabbed an All-OAC Second Team honoree on the year. Her 382 kills holds the sixth spot in the single-season record book, while she also stands ninth in the career record book in kills (722) and 10th in blocks (251) with her senior season left to play.

Setting her way into a leadership role on the team has been setter Morgan Magers. Since coming to the Berg, Morgan Magers has played in every game, while also excelling in the classroom with a 3.9 gpa as an education major. In 2007, Morgan Magers earned All-OAC Honorable Mention honors after dishing out a Heidelberg single-season record 1,447 assists. Her assist total on 2007 topped her previous mark of 1,391 set a year ago. Morgan Magers set up Heidelberg’s offense, but also provided some scoring with 36 service aces and 150 kills. Not to be outdone, Morgan Magers added 369 digs on the year.

Rounding out the list of OAC Academic honorees in 2007 is Vucic. Vucic added depth at outside hitter, excelling with her swing on the right side in Heidelberg’s attack game. Academically, Vucic is studying psychology and has a 3.47 gpa. For the year, she stood third on the team with 79 blocks, while ranking fourth in kills with 296. Vucic also rounded out the year with 76 digs and 55 assists.

Heidelberg, under the guidance of the 2007 OAC Coach of the Year Jason Miller, concluded the year with an overall record of 27-11 and a 7-2 mark in the OAC. The 27 wins by the Berg ties for the most in the history of the program. It was the second-consecutive season and third time in the last four years that the Berg has posted at least 20 wins. Heidelberg made its 16th appearance in the OAC Tournament and sixth under Miller’s guidance. Prior to this season, the Berg had not won a postseason match, but that fact was dismissed following Heidelberg’s 3-1 OAC quarterfinal win over Muskingum College. The Berg went on to take home runner-up honors at the OAC Tournament and eventually earned an at-large bid to the Division III National Championships.