FARMINGTON, Minn. – The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its annual volleyball awards on Wednesday.

Saint Benedict senior outside hitter Kali Jones was named Offensive Player of the Year, St. Olaf senior defensive specialist/libero Michaela Dooley earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, and Concordia first-year Wendi Peterson was selected Rookie of the Year. Bethel head coach Gretchen Hunt was named Coach of the Year.

2026 INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Kali Jones (Sr. / Annandale, Minn. / Annandale) was voted MIAC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Year after leading the conference with 4.89 points per set in league play. Jones totaled 176 kills (4.29 per set) in eleven conference matches. A 2025 All-Conference selection and a 2024 honorable mention pick, Jones is the first Bennie to earn the MIAC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Year honors since Hunter Weiss received the Player of the Year award in 2019.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Michaela Dooley (Sr. / Plymouth, Minn. / Benilde-St. Margaret's) was named MIAC Volleyball Defensive Player of the Year after leading the conference with 5.78 digs per set in league play. Dooley totaled 231 digs in her eleven MIAC matches. Dooley is the second Ole to earn the MIAC Volleyball Defensive Player of the Year honors, following former teammate Morgan Ryan, who took home the title in back-to-back seasons in 2024 and 2025.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Wendi Peterson (Fy. / Sauk Rapids, Minn. / Sauk Rapids-Rice) was selected MIAC Volleyball Rookie of the Year after totaling 90 kills and 31 blocks in conference play during her debut season. Peterson is the fourth Concordia player in program history to be named MIAC Volleyball Rookie of the Year and the first since Olivia Wangensteen in 2012.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Gretchen Hunt was selected MIAC Volleyball Coach of the Year for the second time in her career after guiding Bethel to an 11-0 conference record and the outright MIAC regular-season championship - both firsts in program history. Hunt is now a two-time MIAC Volleyball Coach of the Year, having previously won the award in her first season at the helm in 2001.

ALL-CONFERENCE & HONORABLE MENTION

In addition to the individual awards, 22 players were named All-Conference, and eight received honorable mention distinctions. All-Conference and individual awards were nominated by and voted on by the 12 MIAC head coaches; any nominated player not selected as All-Conference but still receiving votes from at least three coaches was named honorable mention. Bethel, Carleton, Gustavus, and St. Olaf led the way in All-Conference selections with three apiece.

Nine of the 22 All-Conference selections had been named All-Conference in a previous season. Bethel senior middle blocker Peyton Howie earned her fourth consecutive All-Conference selection, while Saint Mary's senior middle blocker Kali Olson earned the third All-Conference selection of her career.

ALL-PLAYOFF TEAM

The conference will announce the MIAC Volleyball All-Playoff Team on Monday, November 16, after the conclusion of the MIAC Playoffs.

COMPLETE LIST OF HONOREES

A complete list of MIAC volleyball honorees can be found below.