The Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team had four players named to the 2026 All-MIAA squad as announced the league today.
 
Senior right side hitter Gabrielle Gartner, senior outside hitter Sophia Gartner, senior setter Mya Karrick and junior libero Ellery Luhring all gained honorable mention all-MIAA status.
 
Gabrielle Gartner leads the team with 221 kills (2.54 kills per set). Gartner ranks No. 2 on the team in blocks (39). Gartner has produced 12 double-figure kill matches this season. Gartner tied her career-high with 16 kills and set a new personal best with 16 digs in a five-set match with Oklahoma Christian (Sept. 5). Gartner collected her first career double-double with 16 kills and 16 digs against OCU. Gartner has earned all-tournament team honors at the McKendree Invitational and the Griffon Classic.
 
Sophia Gartner ranks No. 2 on the team with 203 kills (3.12 kills/set). Gartner blasted a career-high 23 kills in a five-set win over No. 22-ranked Central Oklahoma. She landed 21 kills in a five-set triumph vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith. Gartner added 16 kills in a four-set victory vs. Newman and 17 kills in a four-set loss to No. 15-ranked Washburn. Gartner set a career-high with seven blocks vs. Newman. She has 10 double-figure kill matches this season and has reached 10 or more kills in six of her last nine matches.
 
Karrick leads Northwest in assists and ranks No. 5 in the MIAA with 717 (8.15 assists per set). Karrick ranks No. 6 in the MIAA in service aces per set (0.39). She ranks second on the team in digs (258 – 2.93 digs/set). Karrick has produced a team-high 15 double-doubles. She notched a career-high 17 digs vs. at Missouri Southern (Oct. 2). She also landed a season-best five service aces vs. Ouachita Baptist. She has dished out a season-high 51 assists vs. Ouachita Baptist (Aug. 28) and vs. Oklahoma Christian (Sept. 5). Karrick gained all-tournament team status at the McKendree Invitational. Karrick was named the MIAA Setter of the Week after she led the Bearcats to a 2-0 start to MIAA with victories over No. 22-ranked Central Oklahoma and Newman. Karrick had 40 assists, two blocks, a kill and a service ace in the five-set win over No. 22 Central Oklahoma. Karrick contributed with 44 assists, four kills, a block and a service ace in a four-set triumph over Newman.
 
Luhring is a two-time MIAA Defensive Player of the Week honoree. She is the league leader in digs per set (5.85) in MIAA matches only. Luhring also ranks fourth in the league in service aces per set (0.36) in MIAA matches only. Luhring leads the Bearcats in digs (447 – 5.39 digs/set). Luhring set a career-high with 39 digs in a five-set match with Arkansas-Fort Smith (Oct. 31). The 39 digs rank tied for the sixth-most in a match in program history.
Luhring's 34 digs vs. No. 11-ranked Missouri Western bested the previous mark of 31 set by her sister, Kyah, against Newman on Sept. 22, 2023. The 34 digs by Luhring are the most by an NCAA Div. II player this season. She had 14 digs in the first set, five in the second and 15 in the third against the Griffons on Oct. 20 in Bearcat Arena. Luhring's 5.39 digs per set average would rank as the fourth-best single season in Bearcat history.
 
Head coach Amy Woerth has coached 63 all-MIAA players in her 15 seasons at the helm of the Bearcat volleyball program. She has landed 17 first-teamers, 17 second-teamers, two third-teamers and 27 honorable mention selections.
 
Northwest is the No. 7 seed and will take on No. 2-seeded and No. 12-ranked Missouri Western in the opening quarterfinal of the 2026 MIAA Tournament Thursday at noon at Civic Arena in St. Joseph, Mo.
 
2026 All-MIAA Volleyball Selections
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Lavra Krizanic, Emporia State, OH, So.
HITTER OF THE YEAR: Lavra Krizanic, Emporia State, OH, So.
BLOCKER OF THE YEAR: Crystal Smith, Pittsburg State, So.*
SETTER OF THE YEAR: Riley Roberts, Central Oklahoma, Sr.
CO-LIBERO OF THE YEAR: Ellie Spang, Nebraska Kearney, Sr.
CO-LIBERO OF THE YEAR: Anna Weberg, Missouri Western, Sr.
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Piper Bahr, Emporia State, OH
COACH OF THE YEAR: Rick Squiers, Nebraska Kearney
*Indicates Unanimous Selection
 
ALL-MIAA FIRST TEAM
OH      Maya Fergerson – Central Missouri
OH      Lavra Krizanic – Emporia State
OH      Carly Purdy – Nebraska Kearney
OH      Brynn Stowell – Nebraska Kearney
RS      Maddison LaPointe – Pittsburg State
RS      Tanith Roush – Missouri Western
RS      Taylor Russell – Missouri Western
MB      Sydney Davis – Nebraska Kearney
MB      Crystal Smith – Pittsburg State*
S         Brailee Bogle – Emporia State
S         Riley Roberts – Central Oklahoma
L/DS   Taylor Rottinghaus - Washburn
L/DS   Ellie Spang – Nebraska Kearney
L/DS   Anna Weberg – Missouri Western
*Indicates Unanimous Selection
 
ALL-MIAA SECOND TEAM
OH      Piper Bahr – Emporia State
OH      Maliyah Johnson – Pittsburg State
OH      Hayden Meats – Washburn
OH      Sky Miller – Newman
OH      Lydia Pitts – Arkansas Fort Smith
OH      Emma Siron – Washburn
OH      Brynne Topolski – Washburn
RS      Ella Goodwin – Fort Hays State
MB      Kaelyn McDonald – Central Missouri
MB      Mackenzie Peters – Missouri Western
MB      Ashlyn Reeves – Fort Hays State
S         Annie Eaton – Fort Hays State
S         Ellie Eckman – Nebraska Kearney
L/DS   Kaitlyn Parrott – Central Oklahoma
L/DS   Miyu Tsurumaki – Emporia State
(team reflects ties in voting)

ALL-MIAA HONORABLE MENTION
Arkansas Fort Smith – Mayli Whetter, S
Central Missouri – Ragin Corwin, L/DS
Central Oklahoma – Sawyer Franz, OH; Myla Unterweger, OH; Kate Wells, MB; Georgia Ahlert, MB; Morgan Manning, L/DS
Emporia State – Maja Ciosek, OH; Brooklynn Weaver, MB
Missouri Southern – Grace Gardner, OH
Missouri Western – Holly Heldt, OH; Katelyn Diani-O'Day, S
Nebraska Kearney – Grace Schmedding, OH; Callie Squiers, S
Newman – Isabella Lamb, MB
Northwest Missouri State – Gabrielle Gartner, RS; Sophia Gartner, OH; Mya Karrick, S; Ellery Luhring, L/DS
Washburn – Natalie Hedlund, OH; Brooklyn Morrissey, MB; Shannon Frakes, S; Autumn Gibbs, L/DS