UNK Volleyball: Seven Named All-MIAA

Nov 11, 2026 / UNK Lopers

The Nebraska Kearney volleyball has placed seven players on the 2026 All-MIAA squad. Additionally, Ellie Spang is the Co-Libero of the Year and Rick Squiers is the Coach of the Year.

The league's 13 head coaches vote on the awards and cannot choose their own players. Spang (Ft. Wayne, Ind.) joins Alli Wiese (2024) as Lopers to win the L.O.Y. with Squires tabbed as the MIAA's C.O.Y. for the fifth time (2012, 2016, 2019 and 2024).

Joining Spang on the first team is middle Sydney Davis (Dannebrog), outside Carly Purdy (North Platte), and right-side Brynn Stowell (Olathe, Kan.). First-year setter Ellie Eckman (Lincoln) is on the second team with outside hitter Grace Schmedding (Olathe, Kan.) and setter Callie Squiers (Kearney) tabbed honorable mention. Purdy repeats as a first-team pick, Spang moves up from the second team with everyone else earning their first All-MIAA honor.

Spang is at 5.03 digs per set with 24 aces and 76 assists. She also has a .953 serve receive percentage and appeared in 88 of a possible 93 sets. Next, Purdy leads UNK in kills (286) and kills per set (3.29) while hitting .266. She then adds 38 blocks and 48 digs. At the same position, Schmedding is at 2.2 kills per set, 3.25 digs per set, 23 aces and posts a team-best best .972 serve receive percentage.

In the middle, Davis has team-highs in attack percentage (.408) and blocks per set (1.19) while ranking fourth in kps (2.22). Stowell is second on the team in hitting efficiency (.350) and kps (2.92) and has also registered 52 blocks. Finally, running the show is Eckman and Squiers in a 6-2 system. Eckman comes in at 6.35 assists and 1.58 digs per set and a team-best 28 aces with Squiers at 4.92 assists and 2.24 digs per set and 13 aces. Both have appeared in all 93 sets to date.

UNK (27-2, 12-0) won the 2026 MIAA regular season title and plays Fort Hays State (18-12) Thursday at 5 p.m. in the eight-team league tournament in St. Joseph, Mo. The NCAA Tournament selection show airs Sunday (Nov. 15) at 9 p.m. Central at www.ncaa.com.

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