MSU-N spikers receive more honors

The volleyball season has been over for some time now, but the awards are still rolling in for the Montana State University-Northern Skylights, especially senior hitter Abby Nicholas.

Nicholas was recently named NAIA Second-Team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. The prestigious honor was one of many postseason accolades Nicholas received this season, including being named Frontier Conference Player of the Year and AVCA Northwest Region Player of the Year. Nicholas was also First-Team All Northwest Region, as well as a 2013 Daktronics Scholar Athlete. Nicholas finished her senior season with 532 kills, which led the Frontier and was seventh nationally. She finished in the top 10 in the Frontier in eight different statistical categories this season.

Also earning NAIA All-American honors were seniors Kelsey Williams and Joni Nagy, who both made Honorable Mention. Williams, who finished the season with 472 kills, which was second in the Frontier, was also named All Northwest Region, as was Nagy, who led the Frontier with 1,344 assists, which was 16th nationally.

Senior libero and former Havre High standout Holly Cartwright was also named a Daktronics Scholar Athlete for the 2013 season, while Northern head coach Bill Huebsch was named AVCA Northwest Region Coach of the Year. In his fifth season at MSU-N, Huebsch guided the Skylights to the Frontier regular season championship, as well as a sparkling 26-6 season and an unbeaten mark at the Armory Gymnasium.

The Skylights finished the season ranked No. 26 in the NAIA Postseason Coaches Poll, which was released Thursday.