Posted: Nov 27, 2018

Ferris State's Allyson Cappel and Katie O'Connell Chosen As AVCA All-Americans

Big Rapids, Mich. - Two Ferris State University women's volleyball players have received All-America honors as both junior outside hitter Allyson Cappel (Tinley Park, Ill.) and sophomore hitter Katie O'Connell (Evergreen Park, Ill./Chicago Mother McAuley) were tabbed today to the 2018 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America squad.

For her efforts, Cappel was chosen as an AVCA All-America Second Team pick with O'Connell named to the AVCA All-America Honorable Mention squad. Both Cappel and O'Connell were previously named to the 2018 AVCA All-Midwest Region Team.

The 37th annual AVCA All-America squads were voted on by head coaches from across the country as part of the AVCA Division II All-America Committee.

This year represents the third consecutive year in which Cappel has received AVCA All-America accolades.

The selections of both brings the total number of All-Americans in Bulldog volleyball history to 20 different individuals. This year represents the eighth time in nine years in which FSU has had at least one All-America student-athlete in volleyball. Former Bulldog Arielle Goodson was a second-team recipient in 2010 while Ashley Huntey achieved third team status in 2011 and Lisa Tobiczyk was an honorable mention choice the same year. Middle Hitter Anne Sutton claimed honorable mention accolades in 2012, outside hitter Megan Vander Meer garnered recognition in 2014 and in 2015 the Bulldogs had three honorees in Vander Meer (1st), middle hitter Caroline Heitzman (2nd) and setter Stephanie Sikorski (HM). In 2016, both Sikorski (3rd) and Cappel (HM) were honored while Cappel (HM) and middle hitter Ayanna Buckley (HM) were named a year ago.

Cappel joins fellow three-time honoree Patty Theis (1985-87) as the only two players in Bulldog history to earn All-America honors three times in their collegiate careers. They join FSU's two-time honorees in Kathy O'Connor (1993), Karla Fairbanks (2003-04), Vander Meer (2014-15) and Sikorski (2015-16) as the only Bulldog players to achieve All-America status multiple years in their FSU careers.

This season, both were also All-GLIAC picks in helping the Bulldogs to both a fifth-straight GLIAC Regular Season Championship along with a fifth consecutive GLIAC Tournament title under head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm.

This year, Cappel was chosen as the GLIAC Player of the Year for the second-straight season after guiding FSU to the program's fifth-straight league regular-season championship. Cappel tallied a team-leading 417 kills along with 408 digs, 50 blocks and 23 aces as FSU's most versatile weapon. The three-time all-league honoree helped guide FSU to a 27-5 overall record and the Bulldogs went a perfect 16-0 in the GLIAC, which represented their first unblemished mark in league action since 1990. Cappel posted 28 double-figure efforts in kills this season and tallied 10 digs or more in 25 outings this season.

Meanwhile, O'Connell received All-GLIAC laurels this year in her second season with the Bulldogs. She appeared in all 32 contests and totaled 368 kills while hitting an impressive .247 overall. O'Connell produced 420 digs and notched 52 total blocks with 16 service aces as one of the league's top all-around performers.

This year, Ferris State made its eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament bid and has now advanced to at least the regional semifinals each of the last eight years. FSU's regional appearance represented the program's 23rd all-time.

The Bulldogs finished the regular-season as GLIAC Champions for the fifth-straight year with a perfect 16-0 league mark. It was the eighth-straight year in which FSU finished either first or second in the conference.

Along with winning this year's GLIAC regular-season crown, Ferris State also captured the 2018 GLIAC Tournament Championship for the fifth consecutive year as FSU topped Davenport to earn the program's sixth tourney title in school history while becoming the first squad in league history to capture five-straight crowns.

This year marked the 17th time in 23 seasons under Brandel-Wilhelm in which FSU has claimed at least 20 victories in a campaign. The Bulldogs also made their 21st consecutive GLIAC Tournament appearance this season.