NAIA ALL-AMERICA TEAMS

ASHLAND – Hannah Stadstad became the fourth Southern Oregon University volleyball player ever to make the NAIA All-America first team when the list was released Monday by the national office.

Stadstad, a junior right-side hitter from Albany, was among 14 players selected for the first team out of 213 schools across the NAIA. She was also named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association's separate All-America first team, and teammate Marin Mackey received honorable mention. The AVCA All-Northwest Region team included them an Sadie Byrd.

Upon returning from a knee injury that cost her most of 2022, Stadstad transformed into one of the country's most dominant attackers. She finished the season at 3.1 kills per set on a .351 average, making her the sixth-most efficient hitter among those who posted at least three kills per set. Her .389 attacking average in Cascade Conference play was the highest for any player in the circuit since 2019.

Stadstad was at her best down the stretch, logging double-figure kill totals in 14 of SOU's last 15 matches in five of those. She had 18 kills in a sweep of Columbia International (S.C.) at the NAIA Championships, the highest total for a Raider in any straight-set match in four years.

The Raiders finished up at 28-7 overall, falling one win short of a spot in the national quarterfinal round.

They got another strong All-America case from Byrd, a senior middle who ranked third on the national blocks leaderboard at 1.5 per set. Her work at the net helped the Raiders rank fourth in blocks as a team, and she had a career-best season as an attacker with 1.5 kills per set on a .281 average.

Mackey's impact was essential after they lost their top four in kills from their 2022 tournament team. The junior outside hitter transferred in from Bellevue C.C. (Wash.) and posted more kills per set (3.1) than all but seven players in the CCC.