Three Bearcat volleyball players Top of Iowa Conference East selections

Three Bearcats honored by TOIE

Staff Report

Though they were stopped in the semifinals of the Class 1A-Region 5 volleyball bracket by top-ranked and state-bound Janesville, the North Butler Bearcats by most means had a successful season.

After winning just seven matches the season before, the Bearcats improved to 17-17 this season, won a tournament, and were runners-up in several other tourneys.

They also had three of their players — Kayla Siemens, Nicole Heeren and Darby Christensen — receive All-Top of Iowa-East selections.

Siemens, a senior, earned her second All-TOIE second-team selection after being second on the Bearcats in digs (305). She also got 96 percent of her 379 serves in while recording 39 aces.

Heeren, a junior, also was named to the second team. Heeren led the Bearcats with 56 total blocks and 56 aces.

With 160 kills, Heeren was second to Christensen (162 kills), a junior who was named conference honorable mention. Christensen was also among the team leaders in aces (47).

Rockford’s Skylar Schmitt, who will continue her volleyball career at Waldorf University, was named to the All-TOIE first team. Last season, Schmitt was a second-teamer.

Schmitt led the Warriors in kills (205), blocks (79) and aces (25). She was also among the team leaders in digs (186).

Rockford senior Theresa Jones, who led the Warriors with 417 assists and was the team’s most efficient server (96 percent), was named TOIE honorable mention.

Nashua-Plainfield junior Britney Holthaus, who led the Huskies with 263 digs, was TOIE second-team selection.

Husky junior Sydney Hansen, who led the team with 244 assists, was named honorable mention.