Hovey Named MAC Player Of The Year; Tomic Named MAC Coach Of The Year

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced the MAC Awards for the 2024 volleyball season Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 20). Of those named, the Falcons collected seven different honors from the conference. Lauryn Hovey was named the MAC Player of the Year and earned her third All-MAC First Team recognition in as many seasons. Head Coach Danijela Tomic was named the MAC Coach of the Year for the third time in her BGSU tenure. Alexis Mettille and Amanda Otten were both named All-MAC First Team while Jessica Andrews and Mia Tyler earned All-MAC Second Team. Bowling Green has now had at least one All-MAC First Team honoree in nine consecutive seasons, going back to 2016 and an All-MAC recognition in 14 straight seasons, dating back to 2011.

Coach Tomic's Take
"Having five of our players named to the All-MAC teams is a tremendous recognition for our program and a well-deserved honor for Lauryn, Alexis, Amanda, Jessica, and Mia. They have been key contributors to our team's success, helping us capture the MAC Regular Season title with their leadership and consistent, high-level performances. All of them have put in countless hours of hard work, not just this season but throughout their careers, to be the best for the team. What makes this even more meaningful is the way our entire team has come together to support each other, allowing each player to shine. The collective effort and unity of this group are the driving forces behind their individual success. I couldn't be prouder of what we've accomplished together, and I couldn't be more excited to see them continue to shine as we push forward."

Lauryn Hovey, Junior, Opposite: MAC Player of the Year, All-MAC First Team
Lauryn Hovey has been the catalyst for the Falcons this year, contributing across the board this season. Hovey leads the team in kills, aces and points while being second in digs and third in blocks. This year, Hovey's 48 aces are the second-most during the program's Rally Scoring Era, trailing only her 59 from last season. Her ace total is tied for 26th in the nation and second in the MAC. As for the attack, Hovey is sixth in the conference for kills per set, averaging 3.37. During MAC play, Hovey has hit .300 or better in 10 matches, including hitting .370 or better in six of the last seven with a career-best .609 against Northern Illinois with 17 kills on Nov. 9. She also registered a season-high 23 kills in the regular season finale against Ohio to clinch the MAC Regular Season title.

This is Hovey's first time being named MAC Player of the Year and the ninth for BGSU Volleyball. The last was Petra Indrova, earning the award in back-to-back seasons in 2021 and 2022. Kallie Seimet also was named in 2017 and 2018, making Hovey the fifth honoree for BGSU over the last eight seasons. As for her All-MAC First Team recognition, it is the third of Hovey's career. She's now the fifth Falcon to be named All-MAC First Team at least three times, joining Kendra Halm ('06, '07, '08), Petra Indrova ('20, '21, '22), Katelyn Meyer ('18, '19, '20, '21) and Tammy Schiller ('89, '90, '91).

Coach Tomic's Take
"We are thrilled that Lauryn was named MAC Player of the Year and recognized for her contributions to our program, exceptional talent, work ethic, humility, and leadership. Lauryn's dedication to her craft, consistently delivering clutch performances, and ability to make everyone around her better have been key to our success. She has earned the respect of her teammates, coaches, and opponents across the league and the country, and this award reflects the hard work she has put in throughout her entire career. While this is a personal honor for Lauryn, she will be the first one to acknowledge that her success is also a reflection of the incredible support and teamwork within our program. Lauryn's ability to elevate her game and play at the highest level is a direct result of the collective effort of her teammates, who have pushed her to be better every day."

Head Coach Danijela Tomic: MAC Coach of the Year
Tomic and the Falcons captured the MAC Regular Season title this year, going 16-2 in MAC play with both losses coming in five-set matches. The 16-win MAC season is tied for the second-most in program history during an 18-match MAC schedule. The Falcons won 16 in 2021 as well and won 17 in 1992. Bowling Green is in the midst of an 11-match win streak, the longest by the program since 2021, and tallied the seventh 20-win season under Tomic. The strong season comes with half of BGSU's roster being new to the program this season. This marks Tomic's third career MAC Coach of the Year honor and the seventh for the program. Tomic was also named in 2017 and 2020-21 with Denise Van De Walle earning the honor in 1986, 1987, 1989 and 1992.

Coach Tomic's Take
"Being named MAC Coach of the Year is an incredible honor, but this recognition belongs to our entire coaching staff and team. Our staff's ability to collaborate, innovate, and constantly push each other to be better has been the foundation of our sustained success. Alex, Ali, and Sean have been absolutely invaluable to the success of BGVB with their work ethic, eagerness to learn and relentless commitment to our athletes' growth, both on and off the court. Together, we've created a dynamic and collaborative environment that has propelled this program forward. I'm so proud of what we've built together and grateful for the opportunity to lead this amazing team."

Alexis Mettille, 5th Year, Middle Blocker: All-MAC First Team
Alexis Mettille has been a force on both sides of the net this season for the Falcons. On the attack, Mettille not only leads the MAC in hitting percentage, but ranks fifth in the nation with a mark of .439. As it currently stands, no Falcon in program history has hit over .400 in a season. As for the defensive side, Mettille registered 119 blocks for the Falcons, averaging 1.12 blocks per set to rank fifth in the MAC. Mettille is the only player in the MAC to be inside the top five in the conference for both hitting percentage and blocks per set. This is Mettille's first All-MAC selection, although she was a MAC Defensive Player of the Week earlier this season on Oct. 7.

Amanda Otten, Sophomore, Setter: All-MAC First Team
Amanda Otten was one of the top setters in the MAC this season. Otten averaged 9.37 assists per set during the season, ranking second in the conference, while averaging 10.37 against MAC opponents. She also set the Falcon attack to the best hitting percentage in the conference, hitting .289 against MAC opponents. Otten posed a force offensively herself as well, landing 95 kills for the Falcons with a .383 hitting percentage. Over the course of the season, Otten recorded six double-doubles with five of those coming against MAC foes. While this is Otten's first All-MAC recognition, she was named MAC Setter of the Week twice this season, coming on Oct. 7 and Nov. 4.

Jessica Andrews, Junior, Middle Blocker: All-MAC Second Team
Jessica Andrews made an impact both offensively and defensively for BGSU this year from the middle blocker position, being one of five players in the MAC to be in the top 10 during conference play for both hitting percentage and blocks per set. Andrews led the Falcons with 1.21 blocks per set against MAC foes, ranking third in the conference. She added a .339 MAC hitting percentage to rank ninth. For the season, Andrews' 127 blocks are tied for 38th in the nation. The award is the second time in Andrews' career she has been named All-MAC Second Team, receiving the recognition in 2022 as well. She was also named MAC Defensive Player of the Week once this season on Sept. 16.

Mia Tyler, Senior, Outside Hitter: All-MAC Second Team
Mia Tyler was a key piece in the BGSU attack, leading the Falcons in attack attempts this season while being second in kills. During MAC play, Tyler averaged 3.13 kills per set, ranking 10th in the conference, while averaging 3.39 points per set. Over the course of the MAC season, Tyler logged double-digit kills in 12 matches. During the season, Tyler led the Falcons in kills nine times, including a career-high 21 against Eastern Michigan. The All-MAC honor is the first for Tyler. She was also named MAC Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 7.

2024 MAC Volleyball All-MAC Teams & Specialty Award Winners
Coach of the Year: Danijela Tomic, Bowling Green
Player of the Year: Lauryn Hovey, Junior, Opposite, Bowling Green
Defensive Player of the Year: Andelyn Simkins, 5th Year, Libero, Western Michigan
Freshman of the Year: Carson Tyler, Outside Hitter, Ball State
Setter of the Year: Allie Korba, Junior, Setter, Central Michigan

All-MAC First Team
Madison Buckley, Junior, Opposite, Ball State
Carson Tyler, Freshman, Outside Hitter, Ball State
Aayinde Smith, Graduate, Middle Blocker, Ball State
Lauryn Hovey, Junior, Opposite, Bowling Green
Alexis Mettille, 5th Year, Middle Blocker, Bowling Green
Amanda Otten, Sophomore, Setter, Bowling Green
Abby Leigh, 6th Year, Middle Blocker, Buffalo
Katrin Trebichavska, 5th Year, Outside Hitter, Buffalo
Allie Korba, Junior, Setter, Central Michigan
Natalia Rejment, Junior, Outside Hitter, Central Michigan
Anna Kharchynska, Junior, Opposite Hitter, Ohio
Taylor Alt, 5th Year, Outside Hitter, Toledo
Andelyn Simkins, 5th year, Libero, Western Michigan
Logan Case, 5th Year, Setter, Western Michigan

All-MAC Second Team
Jessica Andrews, Middle Blocker, Junior, Bowling Green
Mia Tyler, Outside Hitter, Senior, Bowling Green
Mandy Leigh, Senior, Setter, Buffalo
Abby Olin, Redshirt-Junior, Middle Blocker, Central Michigan
Grace Thomas, Freshman, Middle Blocker, Central Michigan
Kam Hunt, Sophomore, Outside Hitter, Ohio
Madison Merz, Senior, Middle Blocker, Western Michigan

All-Freshman Team
Sophie Ledbetter, Libero, Ball State
Carson Tyler, Freshman, Outside Hitter, Ball State
Hannah Langton, Libero, Central Michigan
Grace Thomas, Middle Blocker, Central Michigan
Hatteras Welker, Middle Blocker, Eastern Michigan
Grace Freiberger, Libero, Toledo
Sierra Pertzborn, Redshirt-Freshman, Middle Blocker, Toledo

Up Next
The Falcons will advance to the MAC Tournament, receiving a first round bye in the tournament. BGSU's first match will be in the semifinal round on Saturday (Nov. 23) with a 4 p.m. start. The opponent will be determined upon the first round results, taking on the winner of No. 4 Western Michigan vs. No. 5 Buffalo.

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