AVCA All-Region Teams

WINONA, Minn. — A week ago, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota's Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.) was recognized for her outstanding season on a conference level—being named First-Team All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
 
On Thursday, that recognition continued—on a regional level.
 
Blattner, the Cardinal volleyball team's offensive leader—not to mention the leader in kills and kills-per-set in the entire MIAC—added yet another post-season honor, being named First-Team All-Central Region by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
 
Blattner was among 14 players named to the All-Central Region First-Team, and was joined by six others from the MIAC—Lauren Hanson and Nora Holtan of Gustavus, Augsburg's Taylor Linn and Macey Terhell, St. Thomas' Whitney Lloyd, and Carleton's Lucy Stevens.
 
Blattner had a remarkable sophomore season for the Cardinals, leading the team—and conference—in kills (440) and kills-per-set (4.54), while adding five assists, 19 aces, 248 digs, and 24 blocks.
 
The sophomore outside hitter  recorded 20 or more kills in a match seven times this season—including a school-record 31 kills in Saint Mary's regular-season meeting against Bethel on Oct. 21—and owned a team-high 13 double-doubles. Blattner's 31-kill effort against Bethel was not only a school record, but also the top four-set performance in all of NCAA Division III.
 
The Cardinals—who qualified for post-season play for fourth consecutive season—closed out the 2016 campaign with a 24-5 overall record, falling to Bethel in the quarterfinals of the conference playoffs.