GLIAC -- The 2026 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) volleyball postseason awards have been announced following a vote by the league's coaches.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR AND OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Gabby Piazza, Ferris State
Ferris State University junior standout Gabby Piazza has ranked among the nation’s premier players this season while leading the Bulldogs to a perfect 28-0 record to date and a number one national ranking for most of the season. Piazza has compiled a team-leading 392 kills to date this year, averaging 4.56 kills a set in 28 contests. She’s also tallied 193 digs and 29 service aces with 41 total blocks in addition to notching 450.5 total points. The junior standout guided FSU to the GLIAC Regular Season Championship and the top seed for the league tournament. Overall, she’s compiled 10 kills or more in 21 contests to date and received GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors a total of six times this season.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Natalie Harris, Parkside
Natalie Harris was named GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year for the third consecutive season, becoming the first player in both GLIAC and Parkside history to earn the honor in three straight seasons. Harris also secured First Team All-GLIAC recognition for the third time in her career after earning Second Team honors in 2023. During the 2026 season, Harris was named GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week three times. Harris finished the regular season as the GLIAC leader in total digs with 539, finishing 26 digs ahead of the next closest conference player. Her total ranked 28th nationally. She also led the conference in digs per set at 5.86, which ranked fourth in the nation. In addition to her defensive production, Harris recorded 85 assists and 16 service aces on the season. Harris recorded 15 matches with at least 20 digs, including four performances of 30 or more digs. Her season was highlighted by a career-high 40 digs against Grand Valley State.
SETTER OF THE YEAR
Hayley Wegener, Ferris State
Ferris State University junior setter Hayley Wegener has had a big season directing the Bulldogs’ attack during a memorable campaign. With Wegener as the squad’s starting setter, FSU has posted a 28-0 overall record to date this year and held the nation’s number one ranking most of the season. In addition, she led the Bulldogs to the GLIAC Regular Season Championship and top seed for the conference tournament. Wegener has tallied 974 total assists this season in 28 contests along with adding 247 digs, 99 kills, 36 blocks and 27 aces. She’s tallied 10.70 assists per set for the Bulldogs en route to the program’s 29th consecutive conference tournament appearance. Wegener has finished with 22 assists or more in all 28 contests, including a season-high 59 assists in a 3-2 road win over Parkside (Sept. 11).
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Finley Arp, Grand Valley State
Grand Valley State outside hitter Finley Arp was named the GLIAC Freshman of the Year, becoming the seventh Laker to earn that honor. Arp was a mainstay in the Laker lineup all season, leading the team with 255 kills and 42 service aces. She added 247 digs and 33 blocks across 101 sets. During GLIAC play, Arp ranks ninth in the league with 3.23 points per set, recording 149 kills, 25 service aces, and 21 total blocks in that time. She has totaled 11 games posting double-digit kills, with seven of those matches being 15 kills or more. The first-year outside hitter has tallied seven double-doubles this season, posting four of them since conference play commenced.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Tia Brandel-Wilhelm, Ferris State
Ferris State University head coach Tia Brandel-Wilhelm has led the nation’s top-ranked Bulldogs to a perfect 28-0 record this year heading into the GLIAC Tournament Semifinals. Under her direction, the Bulldogs captured the GLIAC Regular Season Championship by going 16-0 in conference play and FSU claimed the program’s 20th all-time league crown. Ferris State is the nation’s top overall team in the NPI rankings and in position to host the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Tournament next week. The Bulldogs are the only remaining unbeaten team in D2 women’s volleyball and are expected to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the 15th consecutive year this season. FSU is also making its 29th-straight GLIAC Tournament appearance this year under Brandel-Wilhelm’s leadership.
A complete list of the 2026 All-GLIAC volleyball teams is below:
2026 First Team All-GLIAC
Abby Alan, Davenport
Kennedy Arp, Grand Valley State
Allie Barlow, Northern Michigan
Natalie Harris, Parkside
Sierra Kilbourn, Parkside
Emily May, Ferris State
Kaylie McIntosh, Northern Michigan
Gabby Piazza, Ferris State
Paige Sanders, Grand Valley State
Rachel Townsend, Saginaw Valley State
Hayley Wegener, Ferris State
Rachel Zurek, Michigan Tech
2026 Second Team All-GLIAC
Lexi Armstrong, Grand Valley State
Finley Arp, Grand Valley State
Hope Davies, Ferris State
Kayla Dulgar, Wayne State
Gabby Orlet, Grand Valley State
Lillian Peterson, Ferris State
Avary Polavin, Parkside
Katie Smith, Wayne State
Taylor Smith, Saginaw Valley State
Brianna Stawski, Grand Valley State
Katerina Stout, Wayne State
Amelia Werner, Davenport
2026 Honorable Mention All-GLIAC
Grace Busold, Grand Valley State
Hayley Carr, Davenport
Anika Huelskamp, Purdue Northwest
Madelynn Kreider, Michigan Tech
Monica Lukasiewicz, Parkside
Anna O'Keefe, Northern Michigan
Lyndsey Urick, Ferris State
Elisa Rizzoli, Lake Superior State
Kyleigh Weck, Wayne State
Kendall White, Saginaw Valley State
Abby Wutka, Roosevelt
