For the second year in a row, Daisy Varbanova and Bruna Langner were named NAIA All-American volleyball players. Both were listed as honorable mention athletes last year, but Varbanova garnered a Second Team All-American bid this season, while Langner earned a spot on the Third Team.
Varbanova was earlier named Southern States Athletic Conference Player of the Year. The senior middle blocker had 345 kills, 69 aces, 214 digs, and 88 total blocks. She was also tabbed as a member of the SSAC All-Academic Team. Langner had 397 kills and a .331 hitting percentage and recorded 147 total blocks. Both were named First Team All-Conference.
National American University, California Baptist University, Fresno Pacific University, and Madonna University all placed two players on the first team. Verania Willis, an outside hitter from California Baptist, was named NAIA Player of the Year.
Berry College’s Amanda Stiefel was the only other player from the SSAC named to the list. She was an Honorable Mention performer. Ashley Posner of Spring Hill College joined her on the list as the other Region XIII player honored.
NAIA All-American Scholar-Athletes will be announced on Jan. 31. At least two Lady Flames have been nominated for the honor.
The Lady Flames qualified for the NAIA National Tournament for the third straight year and claimed the Southern States Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships. The Maroon and White added a Region XIII crown and finished at 27-14.
