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Bowling Green State University 6-foot sophomore outside hitter Kat Mandly (Perrysburg) blocks Miami’s Brooke Jackson in the Falcons’ regular season finale. (Lee Welch/Sentinel-Tribune file)
For the second straight season, Bowling Green State University 6-foot sophomore opposite hitter Lauryn Hovey was named All-MAC First Team while 6-0 junior outside hitter Kat Mandly (Perrysburg) earned All-MAC Second Team honors.
“It is terrific that Lauryn and Kat have been recognized for their outstanding play and contributions to the team,” BGSU coach Danijela Tomic said.
“We ask all of our players to develop a mindset of being the best for the team. Both Lauryn and Kat are not only excellent players but also great teammates who understand that their individual successes are not possible without their team.”
Over the course of the regular season, Hovey landed a team-high 431 kills, ranking 17th in the nation and fourth in the MAC.
For the year, Hovey hit .301 on the attack while maintaining a mark of .327 in conference contests. Hovey also entered the record book with 50 aces for BGSU, tied for 17th in the nation and third in the conference.
Of those 50, Hovey landed 33 against MAC foes, averaging a MAC-leading 0.51 aces per set during conference play. During the season, Hovey also won MAC Offensive Player of the Week honors six times, including five of the last six weeks of the season.
“Lauryn took her game to an elite level this season and has shown again why she is one of the best players in the MAC and belongs on the All-MAC First Team,” Tomic said.
During the regular season, Mandly registered 240 kills for the Falcons with 190 of them coming in MAC matches. Mandly averaged 3.17 kills per set as well as 3.68 points per set during conference play.
She added a double-double to her season stats, coming against Ohio State, as well as finishing second on the team with points with 297.5 during the year. Mandly was also named MAC Offensive Player of the Week on November 6, 2023, interrupting Hovey’s stretch of five awards in six weeks.
“Kat is playing her best volleyball in her senior year and is reaping the fruits of her labor that she put in since her freshman year,” Tomic said.