MIDDLETOWN, Ohio- The River States Conference unveiled the award winners for the 2024 women's volleyball season Wednesday afternoon, announcing the top performers for the season 48 hours ahead of the conference semifinals Friday evening in Kokomo. IU Kokomo's Mya Grigsby was honored as the top player in the conference, and also took home Freshman of the Year honors. Rio Grande won four of the other five awards, with Oakland City emerging with one honor.
In her first season of college volleyball, Mya Grigsby was an immediate impact player for the RSC West Division champions from IU Kokomo, and was honored as RSC Player and Freshman of the Year. Grigsby was everywhere on the floor for the Cougars, ranking in the top five in the conference in aces and kills, while also recording more than three digs per set. Nationally, Grigsby ranks in the top 20 in the nation in both kills and aces.
Amanda Rarick was the lone RSC player to hit 500 kills this season, and was honored as River States Conference Attacker of the Year. The senior from Canal Winchester, Ohio accounted for more points than any other player in the River States Conference, and hit the 500 kill mark in Rio Grande's RSC quarterfinal victory over WVU Tech. The senior is one of just four players nationally with 500 kills, and her 527.5 points accounted for ranked seventh nationally.
Elle McLoughlin ran Rio Grande's offense to perfection in 2024, and earned the RSC's Setter of the Year award for her efforts. The junior passed out more than 10 assists per set, with no other player in the league averaging more than nine. McLoughlin's numbers as Rio Grande's lone setter are nationally significant as well, with the junior's 1360 assists currently ranking first in the nation, while her 52 service aces also rank in the top 25.
Dunja Madjarevic proved to be the conference's top libero, and was so honored as the league's Defender of the Year. The fifth-year senior from Serbia led the River States Conference with 583 digs and 5.83 digs per set, a total that ticked up to 5.89 per set in RSC play. As of press time, Madjarevic currently ranks in the top 20 in the nation in digs per set, as well as the top 20 in total digs.
In addition to winning two of the five player awards, Rio Grande swept the coach awards, with Billina Donaldson earning Coach of the Year honors and Caden Donaldson following as Assistant Coach of the Year. Billina Donaldson guided Rio Grande to a 14-2 RSC record, and the program's first East Division championship. Caden Donaldson was honored as Assistant Coach of the Year for his efforts with the RedStorm, with his nomination materials stating "the improvement of (Rio Grande) is evident over the last two years, since adding him to the Coaching staff."
The top four seeds in the River States Conference will converge on Kokomo on Friday for the final two rounds of the RSC Tournament. Second-seeded Rio Grande will meet third-seeded IU East in the first semifinal at 4:00 p.m., with IU Kokomo hosting St. Mary-of-the-Woods in the second semifinal at 7:00 p.m.. The winners will meet for the conference title Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.