Hawks’ Wijnbergen is GLVC Freshman of the Year, while Rehagen, Knoblauch earn all-conference honors

QUINCY — Emma Wijnbergen made history Thursday. Emily Rehagen and Makayla Knoblauch simply continue to show they are two of the best players in the Quincy University women’s volleyball program’s NCAA Division II era.

Wijnbergen was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Freshman of the Year, becoming the first Hawk to win the award in program history and just the second QU player to receive a major GLVC postseason honor. In 2003, Cari Masek was named the GLVC Player of the Year.

Meanwhile, Rehagen and Knoblauch were both first-team All-GLVC selections after helping the Hawks earn the No. 5 seed in the GLVC Tournament, which begins Friday at the Eastside Centre in East Peoria, Ill.

A 6-foot-1 outside hitter from the Netherlands, Wijnbergen recorded 166 kills, 2.68 kills per set and a .234 hitting percentage during the course of GLVC play. Defensively, she tallied 36 digs and 26 blocks. Overall, she finished the regular season with 229 kills and 43 blocks.

Rehagen, a 5-9 junior outside hitter, registered a career-high 26 kills against Southern Indiana on the same night she recorded her 1,000th career kill. The O’Fallon, Mo., product totaled 359 kills this season, which was third highest in the GLVC, with 231 kills coming in GLVC play.

Knoblauch, a 6-1 junior setter, averaged 10.51 assists per set, which was second best in the GLVC and 30th in NCAA Division II. She also added 3.27 digs per set. The Leo, Ind., product finished the regular season with 925 assists and 288 digs, while piling up 667 assists and 201 digs in GLVC play.

Junior defensive specialist Kailey Owsley was named QU’s honoree for the GLVC James R. Spalding Sportsmanship award.