Jesup Alum Piper Thomas Named to MVC All-Freshman Team

University of Northern Iowa freshman middle hitter Piper Thomas has earned a slot on the 2015 Missouri Valley Conference's Volleyball All-Freshman Team as announced by the league today.

Thomas (Jesup, Iowa/Jesup HS) ranks second on the squad in blocks (94) and third on the team in kills (278) and hitting percentage (.244). In MVC matches only, Thomas upped her hitting percentage to .264 with 169 kills. Thomas was twice named the MVC Freshman of the Week during the season. Thomas tallied 16 double-figure kill efforts and set her career-high with 16 kills in a five-set win over Evansville (Sept. 26). Thomas posted a career-high seven blocks in a 3-0 win at Bradley (Sept. 29).

She becomes the 19th UNI Panther named to the MVC All-Freshman Team in the history of the league.

2015 MVC All-Freshman Team
Emily Butters, Missouri State
Shimen Fayad, Wichita State
Ali Line, Illinois State
Courtney Pence, Illinois State
Piper Thomas, UNI
Lexi Varga, Illinois State

UNI's All-Time All-Freshman Team Honorees
1996 - Shannon Perry, Holly VanHofwegen
1997 - Alexandra Auker
1999 - Kim Kester
2000 - Jill Arganbright, Molly O'Brien
2001 - Shar Vermeer
2002 - Rachael Tink
2004 - Danielle Brazda
2005 - Ashten Stelken
2006 - Shannon Aschoff
2007 - Ellie Blankenship
2008 - Michelle Burow, Bre Payton
2009 - Amy Braun, Krista DeGeest
2010 - Shelby Kintzel
2013 - Amie Held
2015 - Piper Thomas