White, Kavanaugh named to AVCA NAIA all-region team

SEWARD, Neb. – More postseason honors have rolled in for junior Claire White and sophomore Alayna Kavanaugh. The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) placed White on its West Central All-Region team while Kavanaugh received honorable mention all-region accolades. White and Kavanaugh are two of 22 players named to the West Central Region team.

White, a first team all-GPAC choice in 2014 did it all for the Bulldogs in 2014. The native of Exeter, Neb., led the team with 375 kills (14th most in school history) while ranking 29th among all NAIA players with 55 aces. She also piled up 282 digs and passed serve receive at a 93.6 percent rate. White has 714 kills over two seasons at Concordia and 729 in three collegiate seasons. She also has 584 digs in her two years as a Bulldog since transferring from NCAA Division II Washburn University.

Kavanaugh, also a first team all-conference pick, emerged as one of the nation’s most reliable setters in her second season at the collegiate level. Her 1,189 assists in 2014 ranks as the fourth-highest single-season total in program history. The former Lincoln Christian High School star ranked 21st nationally (second in the GPAC) with an average of 10.16 assists per game in directing an attack that posted 12.9 kills per game. Kavanaugh contributed in many other ways, chipping in 103 kills and 24 aces.

White and Kavanaugh were key cogs for a Bulldog squad that broke through with a 2014 campaign that included 20 overall wins, three victories over ranked opponents, a fourth-place GPAC finish and a conference tournament semifinal appearance.