Five Bolts earn spots on Iowa Star all-conference team

The Baxter volleyball team had a successful first season in the Iowa Star Conference. The Bolts advanced past the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2009, and the program finished 6-1 in South Division matches.

The only loss came to a North Tama squad which was one of three Iowa Star Conference teams to advance to the state tournament.

For their efforts this past season, five Baxter Bolts earned all-conference recognition.

Senior Jordynn Wesselink was a unanimous first team selection in the Iowa Star Conference’s South Division and sophomore Amber Weltha also landed on the first team.

Second-team recognition went to seniors Sailor Hinegardner and Mary Schabilion and junior setter Sydney Schmidt was an honorable mention choice.

Wesselink and Weltha were both among the division’s top hitters in 2017.

Wesselink ranked third in conference kills with 91, while Weltha finished fifth with 72. Wesselink also finished with a division-high 27 aces, 71 digs and was 94-of-113 in serves. The 71 digs ranked fifth in the division.

In overall matches, Wesselink blasted a career-high 281 kills, tallied 237 digs and served up 69 aces. Wesselink was 293-of-338 in serves and had 13 blocks with 14 assists. The 69 aces were tops in the league, and the 281 kills ranked fourth.

Weltha played mostly in the front row as the Bolts’ middle hitter. She finished 5-of-6 in serves, tallied three assists, collected 11 digs and had 11 blocks.

In overall matches, Weltha finished with 213 kills, which ranked fifth in the league. The sophomore collected 16 assists, 41 digs and 39 blocks.

Hinegardner finished third in the division with 80 digs as the team’s libero and also had seven assists, three aces and was 62-of-63 of serves.

In overall matches, Hinegardner ranked second in the league with 293 digs. She also had 17 assists and 10 aces. The senior was 204-of-206 in serves.

Schabilion tallied 24 kills, 12 aces, five assists, 24 digs and 11 blocks. She hit on 100 of her 106 serve attempts.

In overall matches, Schabilion finished with 60 kills, 24 aces, 81 digs, nine assists and 22 blocks. She was 295-of-317 in serves.

Schmidt ranked third in the league with 158 assists and ranked second in the division behind Wesselink with 26 aces. She was 65-of-77 in serves and collected 32 digs.

In overall matches, Schmidt had 438 assists, which ranked third in the division. She also had 80 digs, 21 kills and 41 aces.

Schmidt was 184-of-207 in serves. The 41 aces ranked in a tie for fourth in the league.

Iowa Star Conference

South Division Standings

North Tama 7-0

Baxter 6-1

Collins-Maxwell 5-2

Colo-NESCO 4-3

GMG 3-4

Meskwaki Settlement School 2-5

Valley Lutheran 1-6

CAL 0-7

Elite Team

Kennedy Meister, senior, Janesville

Katie Kopriva, sophomore, North Tama

Bree Thompson, junior, Janesville

Kennedy Drewis, senior, Tripoli

Alisa Bengen, junior, Janesville

Brianda Bane, senior, Collins-Maxwell

McKayla Boeschen, senior, Dunkerton

South Division First Team

* Jordynn Wesselink, senior, Baxter

* Katie Kopriva, sophomore, North Tama

* Brianda Bane, senior, Collins-Maxwell

* Karly Jans, junior, North Tama

Amber Weltha, sophomore, Baxter

Takoa Kopriva, sophomore, North Tama

Tori Lasley, junior, Meskwaki Settlement

South Division Second Team

Sailor Hinegardner, senior, Baxter

Mary Schabilion, senior, Baxter

Katie Camp, senior, Collins-Maxwell

Lydia Schafer, senior, North Tama

Isabel Sierra, sophomore, North Tama

Chelsea Henze, senior, Colo-NESCO

Peyton Gallentine, senior, GMG

South Division Honorable Mention

Sydney Schmidt, senior, Baxter

Kassidy State, senior, CAL

Gracie Cheville, junior, Collins-Maxwell

Rylie Reischauer, senior, Colo-NESCO

Eve Gallentine, senior, GMG

Carissa Calderwood, junior, North Tama

Delicia Guevara, senior, Meskwaki Settlement

Katelynn Panning, senior, Valley Lutheran