2017 Women’s VolleyMob All-America 3rd Team: Foecke Leads 5 B1G Players in the Group

The 2017 NCAA Season has come to its conclusion with Nebraska winning the biggest team award in the National Championship. But how about some more individual accolades to give out?

This week, we will present our year two end-of-season VolleyMob awards, starting with our Third-Team today, Second-Team tomorrow and First-Team on Thursday. For each level of All-America recognition, we’ve selected six players plus a libero. The week will culminate with us naming our National Player of the Year.

*Note: All-Americans and National Player of the Year were voted on by a VolleyMob staff of writers and compiled based on the aggregate results.

KHALIA LANIER, SOPHOMORE OUTSIDE HITTER AT USC

6’2″ | Scottsdale, Arizona

• 2017 Stats: 4.29 kills per set (.249), 2.37 digs per set, 0.36 blocks per set, 0.35 aces per set
• Ranked 20th (10th among NCAA Tournament teams) in points per set (4.86)
• Her season-high 27 kills came against UCLA on November 25
• USC finished 25-10, falling in five sets to Florida in the Elite Eight

MIKAELA FOECKE, JUNIOR OUTSIDE HITTER AT NEBRASKA

6’3″ | West Point, Iowa

• 2017 Stats: 3.53 kills per set (.290), 2.36 digs per set, 0.51 blocks per set, 0.31 aces per set
• Named the 2017 NCAA Tournament’s Co-Most Outstanding Player
• Her season-high 21 kills came at Purdue on Oct. 13 and 19 digs vs. Penn State in the Final Four
• Nebraska finished 32-4, winning the National Championship

DANIELLE CUTTINO, SENIOR MIDDLE BLOCKER AT PURDUE

6’4″ | Indianapolis, Indiana

• 2017 Stats: 4.09 kills per set (.335), 0.91 blocks per set, 0.45 digs per set, 0.00 aces per set
• Ranked 32nd in the NCAA (14th among NCAA Tournament teams) in points per set (4.68)
• Led the Big Ten in kills per set
• Purdue finished 23-10, falling to Utah in the Second Round

ALI BASTIANELLI, JUNIOR MIDDLE BLOCKER AT ILLINOIS

6’3″ | Marysville, Michigan

• 2017 Stats: 2.42 kills per set (.378), 1.60 blocks per set, 0.32 digs per set, 0.09 aces per set
• Ranked first in the Big Ten and fourth in the NCAA in blocks per set
• Her season-high 17 kills came vs. Montana State on Aug. 25 and 10 blocks vs. Hawaii on Dec. 1
• Illinois finished 23-11, falling to Michigan State in the Sweet 16

SAMANTHA SELIGER-SWENSON, SOPHOMORE SETTER AT MINNESOTA

5’11” | Minnetonka, Minnesota

• 2017 Stats: 12.21 assists per set, 2.69 digs per set, 0.47 blocks per set, 0.33 kills per set, 0.28 aces per set
• Ranked first in the Big Ten and second in the NCAA (first for NCAA Tournament teams) in assists per set
• Facilitated a Minnesota offense that hit .285, 12th in the NCAA
• Minnesota finished 28-6, falling to USC in the Elite Eight

KELSIE PAYNE, SENIOR RIGHT SIDE AT KANSAS

6’3″ | Austin, Texas

• 2017 Stats: 3.66 kills per set (.295), 1.90 digs per set, 0.68 blocks per set, 0.08 aces per set
• Ranked 9th among right sides in kills per set (3rd among NCAA Tournament teams) in the NCAA
• Her season-high 23 kills came against Missouri State on August 26
• Kansas finished 22-8, falling to Missouri in the first round

KENDALL WHITE, SOPHOMORE LIBERO AT PENN STATE

5’5″ | Indianapolis, Indiana

• 2017 Stats: 3.76 digs per set, .966 reception %, 0.65 assists per set, 0.19 aces per set
• Helped Penn State’s defense rank 37th in the NCAA (18th for NCAAT teams) in Opp. Hitting % (.171)
• Her season-high 29 digs came at Michigan State on November 1
• Penn State finished 33-2, falling to eventual National Champion Nebraska in the Final Four