WHITEFISH — Laurie Kelly was named Frontier Conference volleyball coach of the year, while her outside hitter Hailey Copinga captured league player of the year honors, as Rocky Mountain College dominated the Frontier Conference volleyball postseason awards.
Kelly and Copinga led the Battlin’ Bears to the No. 1 seed in the tournament, going undefeated in conference play throughout the regular season. Natalie Hilderman added a setter of the year honor for Rocky, which finished runner-up after a four-set loss to the University of Providence in Saturday’s championship game.
Providence outside hitter Kelsy Shaver was named the league’s newcomer of the year, while Carroll College outside hitter Lexi Mikkelsen earned freshman of the year honors.
Montana Western senior Dylan Fowler captured the defensive player of the year award.
Rocky, Providence and Montana Tech each placed three athletes on the first-team all-conference list. Carroll College and Western both landed one player on the list.
Below are the 2018 Frontier Conference volleyball honors, as well as all-conference selections, all-freshmen team and champions of character.
2018 Frontier Conference volleyball honors
Coach of the year: Laurie Kelly, Rocky Mountain College
Player of the year: Hailey Copinga, Rocky Mountain College
Defensive player of the year: Dylan Fowler, Montana Western
Setter of the year: Natalie Hilderman, Rocky Mountain College
Newcomer of the year: Kelsy Shaver, University of Providence
Freshman of the year: Lexi Mikkelsen, Carroll College
First-team all-conference team
Brielle Bumgarner, Carroll College, Sr., MB; Kalispell, Mont.
Rachel Gregg, Lewis-Clark State, Sr., OH; Eagle River, Alaska
Sabrina Hopcroft, Montana Tech, Jr., L; Florence, Mont.
Masha Korol, Montana Tech, Sr., OH; Ukrainka, Ukraine
Heather Thompson, Montana Tech, Jr., OH; Lake Tapps, Wash.
Dylan Fowler, Montana Western, Sr., L; Belgrade, Mont.
Hailey Copinga, Rocky Mountain College, Sr., RS; Billings, Mont.
Natalie Hilderman, Rocky Mountain College, So., S; Red Lodge, Mont.
Olivia L’Ami, Rocky Mountain College, MB, Sr., Casper, Wyo.
Sydney Andersen, University of Providence, So., RS; Placentia, Calif.
Averi Dyer, University of Providence, Jr., L; Kalama, Wash.”
Kelsy Shaver, University of Providence, Jr.; OH; Scotts Valley, Calif.
Second-team all-conference team
Ayla Carpenter, Carroll College, Jr., OH; Graham, Wash.
Rayna Pilgeram, Carroll College, Sr., S; Helena, Mont.
Aubrey King, Lewis-Clark State, Sr., RS; Malad, Idaho
Lauren West, Lewis-Clark State, Sr., S; San Diego, Calif.
Karina Mickelson, Montana Tech, So., OH; Laguna Niguel, Calif.
Daniella Russell, Rocky Mountain College, Jr., OH; Red Lodge, Mont.
All-freshmen all-conference team
Lexi Mikkelsen, Carroll College, Fr., OH; Nine Mile Falls, Wash.
Aliyah Williams, Carroll College, Fr., S; Coeur D’Alene, Idaho
Paige Wollan, Carroll College, Fr., MH; Spokane, Wash.
Abby Ellison, MSU-Northern, Fr., OH; Big Fork, Mont.
Sydney Park, Montana Tech, Fr., MB; Post Falls, Idaho
Cameron Davies, University of Providence, Fr., MB: Vancouver, Wash.
Champions of character
Jenna Starke, Carroll College, Jr., MH; Helena, Mont.
Olivia Jarvis, Lewis-Clark College, Sr., MB; Orem, Utah
Hailey Warren, MSU-Northern, Jr., S; Helena, Mont.
Hannah Liss, Montana Tech, Sr., S; Kalispell, Mont.
Kylie McCree, Montana Western, Sr., OH; Idaho Falls, Idaho
Krista Judisch, Rocky Mountain College, Sr., DS; Conrad, Mont.
Isabelle Parker, University of Providence, Jr., OH; Portland, Ore.
