SPRINGFIELD, Ohio—Maddie Fischer and Paco Labrador highlighted the 2017 All-NCAC Teams on Friday night, as the awards were announced by the conference office after the completion of the first round of NCAC Tournament Matches.
Senior outside hitter Maddie Fischer was named Player of the Year, becoming the 13th different player in Wittenberg history to earn the NCAC's top honor. Coach Labrador guided the Tigers to a 20-2 record and a No. 1 ranking by the AVCA from September 19 to October 31.
The Tiger's lone senior averaged 3.55 kills per-set, third in the NCAC and 3.16 digs per-set. Fischer totaled 284 kills on the year, and tallied 13 double-doubles. Fischer is a repeat-pick on the NCAC's first-team, as the Minerva, Ohio native earned the honor a season ago.
Labrador earned Coach of the Year in the NCAC for the eighth time, as Wittenberg finished the regular season in NCAC play undefeated for the seventh straight year. In his 15th year as the Tiger's head coach, Labrador now owns an overall record of 448-70 (.865) and an eye-popping 162-2 mark in NCAC regular season play.
The reigning AVCA Freshman of the Year, Aubrey Cox, and 2016 Honorable Mention All-NCAC setter Karen Wildemann, also grabbed spots on the NCAC's first team. Cox recorded 72 total blocks on the year for the Tigers, while recording 153 kills at the middle-blocker position. Wildemann has setup the Tiger's offense for success all 2017, as the Columbus, Indiana native notched two triple-doubles during the regular season. Wildemann averaged 9.64 assists per-set in 2017, and 2.44 digs per-set while totaling an even 100 kills.
Wittenberg open's up NCAC tournament play tomorrow at 11:00AM, as the #1 seeded Tigers await the winner of #5 Kenyon and #4 Denison in Friday night's 7:30PM match.