2024 AVCA NAIA All-Region Volleyball Teams
SEWARD, Neb. – A trio of Bulldogs from the national quarterfinalist Concordia University, Nebraska Volleyball team were honored on Thursday (Dec. 5) by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). The organization named Ashley Keck, Gabi Nordaker and Ella Waters to its NAIA West Central All-Region Team. Each of the 10 regions named 14 student-athletes to the All-Region team, and eight players earned honorable mention honors. Both Keck and Nordaker are repeat all-region award winners from 2023.
Tabbed the GPAC Attacker of the Year, Keck (Kearney, Neb.) is a three-time All-GPAC honoree and was chosen as the GPAC Freshman of the Year in 2022. Heading into the NAIA National Quarterfinals, Keck has produced 2024 season totals of 361 kills (3.41 per set) and 385 digs (3.63 per set) and is hitting .233 from the outside. She has pushed her career tallies to 961 kills and 749 digs. Keck topped the Bulldogs with 12 kills in Friday’s NAIA pool play win over No. 13 Mount Vernon Nazarene University (Ohio).
A two-time NAIA All-American, Nordaker has collected five All-GPAC awards (four first team honors) in her standout career. This 2024 season, the Omaha native has recorded 259 kills (2.44 per set) and a team high 135 blocks (1.27 per set). She also paces Concordia with a .363 hitting percentage. On the program all-time lists, Nordaker ranks third in blocks (593) and fourth in kills (1,419). Nordaker has been a major factor in all three of the program’s advancements to the national quarterfinals.
A Norris High School product and transfer from Washburn University (Kan.), Waters garnered First Team All-GPAC honors in her first season of action as a Bulldog. Waters has been efficient from the right side in compiling 282 kills (2.71 per set) while hitting .301. Her season high of 17 kills came in the team’s five-set win over then No. 1 Indiana Wesleyan University on Aug. 24.
Fourth-seeded Concordia will take on No. 5 seed Bellevue University at 2 p.m. CT on Saturday (Dec. 7) in the NAIA National Quarterfinals. The winner will advance to play in the semifinals on Monday.