After graduating arguably one of the best all-around players in school history in Shena Beheler and one of the top back row performers in Tiffany Milburn from the 2007 team that went 39-5, was ranked No. 13 in the final NAIA poll, and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time in program history, no one knew what to expect out of this year’s MVNU squad.

However, the Lady Cougars built off the experience gained in the previous year to put together an outstanding season that saw the team post a 13-match winning streak at one point, register a 9-2 home record and a 10-4 conference mark, and compete in every match with 10 of the 11 losses coming to teams who were ranked or receiving votes at some point during the season and seven of those losses coming in five sets.

"I feel like this team really accomplished a lot, especially when you consider what we lost to graduation the year before,” said MVNU coach Paul Swanson, who improved his NAIA all-time wins record to 885-313 (.739 winning percentage) in 26 seasons - 25 with the Lady Cougars. "We played a little up and down at times, but we had many very strong matches throughout the year. We also had many memorable close matches.”

As a team, MVNU set a new school record for best serve reception percentage in a season at 94.1 percent to easily eclipse the old record of 93.3 percent set in 1999. Individually, junior right-side hitter Courtney Springer (96.0 percent) and sophomore middle hitter Jackie Albrecht (95.9 percent) both topped the old single-season mark of 95.8 percent set by Amanda Stevens in 2004. "Courtney, Jackie, and Caitlin (Myles) were outstanding in the back row for us this year,” said Swanson. "I feel that serve reception is the most difficult skill in volleyball, and they helped us to a record year in this category.”

Outside hitter Audrey Hickinbotham, the team’s lone senior, wrapped up her career by compiling 272 kills, 398 digs, 47 blocks, and 39 aces despite suffering an injury that sidelined her for seven matches late in the year and limited her when she did return.

"We had great leadership on and off the court from our upperclassmen and especially Audrey,” said Swanson. "It was unfortunate that she got hurt and we had to deal with that for the last third of the season. She had a great career here and is an outstanding person.”

Springer and fellow junior Kaylin Austen, the team’s setter, both registered good numbers for the Lady Cougars. Springer tallied 439 kills and 535 digs to increase her career totals to 1,195 kills and 1,280 digs as she became the 12th player in school history to record both 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. She also added 128 blocks, was second on the team with 92 assists, and led MVNU with 58 aces. Meanwhile, Austen handed out 1,775 assists to move into fourth place in school history with 4,058 career assists - just 228 assists from the top spot. She also tallied 48 aces, 49 blocks, 52 kills, and 378 digs.

Albrecht had a breakout year in her second season with the Lady Cougars as she led the team in kills (638) - which was the seventh-highest single-season total in school history - and was second on the team in digs (583), aces (53), and blocks (139). She also topped the 1,000-kill mark and now has 1,042 kills and she is closing in on the 1,000-dig mark with 974 digs in just two seasons.

Myles, the team’s sophomore libero, led MVNU with 591 digs while also posting the fourth-highest single-season serving percentage in school history at 98.5 percent as she committed just eight errors in 548 serve attempts. Sophomore middle hitter Sarah Yutzy also compiled 240 kills, 200 digs, and 114 blocks.

Freshman middle hitter Gina Porto led the Lady Cougars with 154 blocks to go with 427 kills in her first collegiate season. Freshman outside hitter Cieleste Rose also contributed 41 aces and 355 digs. Junior middle hitter Julie Haumschild, sophomore outside hitter Abby Smith, and freshman outside hitter Megan Yoder rounded out the roster for MVNU.

"We had outstanding team dynamics and this season was a tremendously joyful experience for the whole team,” said Swanson. "I am very grateful for the character and effort of an outstanding group of Christian young women.”