Three Bruins earn NAIA and AVCA All-American honors

NAIA Release
AVCA All-Americans

A trio of Bruins earned NAIA and AVCA All-American honors in an announcement made today by both organizations. Sophomore setter Olivia Galas (Bellevue, Neb.) was named to the first team while sophomore outside hitter Sierra Athen (Red Oak, Iowa) earned second-team honors and junior outside hitter Andrea Carson (Ord, Neb.) garnered honorable mention accolades. 

Galas became the first player in Bellevue University volleyball history to earn first-team NAIA All-American honors. Setter Candace Clow earned first-team AVCA All-American honors in 2008 and second-team NAIA honors the same year. Galas was the AVCA North Central Region and the North Star Athletic Association Player of the Year in 2019, helping guide the Bruins to its 16th-straight 20-win season and its 12th appearance in the NAIA National Tournament. 

Galas became the Bruins' first Region Player of the Year since 2011 when Maureen Wardian won the honor. The North Star Athletic Association Setter of the Year, Galas led the team with 1,519 assists (10.77 aps) and was second with 36 service aces and 19 double-doubles. She was third on the team with 58 total blocks. Galas ranked first in the nation in total assists and was eighth in assists per set. 

A nine-time NSAA Setter of the Week, Galas ended the season with six-straight double-doubles. In the Bruins' second pool play match at Nationals against fifth-ranked Southern Oregon, Galas collected a triple-double with 12 kills (on .647 hitting), 44 assists, and 13 digs. 

Athen earned first-team all-NSAA honors this season, leading the Bruins with 490 kills and 23 double-doubles. She was second on the team with 422 digs and third with 30 service aces. Her 490 kills ranked 12th nationally and second in the NSAA. She finished the season with five-straight double-doubles. 

Carson, who earned first-team all-NSAA recognition, was second on the team with 331 kills and is just eight kills shy of the 1,000-kill milestone for her BU career. She had the highest regular-season hitting percentage of any outside hitter in the conference at .252. Carson recorded 16 double-digit kill totals in 2019, including a career-high 23 kills in BU's five-set loss to Dakota State on Oct. 9.  

The Bruins finished the 2019 season with a 28-10 overall record, making their 12th showing in the NAIA National Tournament and ninth appearance at the NAIA National Championship final site after finishing second in the NSAA regular-season standings with a 10-4 conference mark.