Six Grizzlies named to All-Conference Team, Lechtenberg voted Coach of the Year
It's been a historic season for the Butler Grizzlies volleyball team, as they've made the national tournament for the first time in the program's history. That success has been reflected in the Jayhawk All Conference team, as five Grizzlies have received all conference first team rankings, and one player has received a second team nomination. In addition, head coach Lisa Lechtenberg has been named KJCCC coach of the year.
Jaryn Benning, Kayli Duncan, Ivy Fink, Carly Clennan and Rainey Aven were Butler's first team nominees.
Benning, a Junior outside hitter from Topeka who came back to the Grizzlies for her third year, played in all 37 matches. She led the Grizzlies with 316 kills and averaged 2.63 kills per set, with a hitting percentage of .218.
Duncan, a sophomore out of Wichita, Kansas, and Circle High School, did not miss a single set this season, and her 269 kills was good enough for third on the team. She had the highest hitting percentage on the team with .316 and had 3.1 points per set.
Fink, a freshman outside hitter from Hoyt, Kansas, started in all 37 matches, had 303 kills and 368 points for the Grizzlies this season.
El Dorado's own Carly Clennan, a sophomore who plays at the middle blocker position, excelled defensively for the Grizzlies all season. Her 53 blocks was good enough for ninth in the conference, and her 1.04 blocks per set was 10th. She was 8th in hitting percentage with .312.
Rainey Aven was the fifth Butler member of the first team. A freshman setter from Hereford, Texas, Rainey led the team in assists with 579.
Caitlyn Rexroat was Butler's second team nominee, a defensive specialist from Lansing, Kansas. She led the team in digs with 637, and was 11th in the nation. She had 44 service aces, and maintained a ratio of 0.37 aces per set.
Lisa Lechtenberg has been named the conference coach of the year for the first time, in her third season in charge of the program. Lechtenberg led the greatest season in Butler history, a 35-2 record, the Grizzlies ended the season with a 31 match winning streak, winning the region title with a 3-0 sweep of Seward. The Grizzlies went unbeaten in conference play and finished undefeated at home for the first time.
2021 KJCCC All-Conference List