The women’s volleyball team has not won a Mid-American Conference Tournament since 2001. However, the team historically has done well during the regular season.

The team went 19-11 in 2015. That record is not nearly as good as its 23-5 record this season, but it was enough to get them into the MAC Tournament.

The Huskies ended up falling to Ohio University in three consecutive sets, (25-17, 25-11, 25-19), during last year’s championship game.

The team is 2-5 in the MAC Championship game all-time.

This year, its fate may change. The team has a 15-1 MAC record now, only falling to No. 1 seed Miami University.

This is the most MAC wins NIU has had in a season. The Huskies excelled, winning 14 consecutive matches at one point until their fall to Miami Oct. 29. This unbeaten run was the fourth longest in program history.

NIU previously led the MAC in hitting percentage (.263) and blocks (2.50) per set.

This Huskie team is doing things the NIU volleyball program hasn’t done in a while. They started the season with a 10-0 record, which has not been done since 1993.

They have out-dug opponents nine times this season and have out-blocked opponents 19 times.

The luck for the Huskies in the MAC Tournament just might change. With a season this outstanding, it is hard to believe anything other than success will follow.

This team deserves to get the victorious ending we are all hoping for. No matter the outcome, this has been a season to remember.

Tournament

The Huskies (23-5, 15-1 MAC) had the most conference wins out of any team in the MAC this season, making it the third time they have accomplished this in the past six years.

Their regular season record of 23-5 marked the seventh time Head Coach Ray Gooden has coached a 20-win team. The Huskies have reached the 20-win mark 22 times throughout its program.

The MAC Tournament will make its return to DeKalb at the Huskies’ home of Victor E. Court for the first time since 2001.

The MAC Tournament begins today and will feature the No. 2 seed Huskies, who will play in Saturday’s semifinal matches.

This is Ball State’s 26th consecutive appearance in the MAC Tournament with a 5-1 record in first round matches and 6-3 in championship matches.

Freshman defensive specialist Kate Avila is the defender to look out for on this team.

Avila accumulated 31 digs against NIU this season and has a career total of 518. She is the sixth-ranked defender in the MAC, averaging 4.21 digs per match. Sophomore outside hitter Brooklyn Goodsel is Ball State’s best offensive weapon.

Goodsel leads the Cardinals with double-digit kills in 19 matches. Although Ball State University is a young team, it is a team that could surprise many spectators this weekend.

MAC award winners

Four Huskies earned All-MAC awards prior to the beginning of the MAC Tournament.

Senior middle blocker Jenna Radtke earned MAC Player of the Year and All-MAC First Team with teammate senior outside hitter Mary Grace Kelly.

Sophomore middle blocker Meg Wolowicz and Lauren Zielinski, redshirt senior middle blocker, both earned honorable mentions.

Radtke has started in each of the 28 matches and played in all 104 sets this season. She’s averaged 2.70 kills per set, a .384 hitting percentage and a lead in service aces with 33.

Radtke also averages 1.15 blocks per set, the best in the MAC. Radtke has really become a true asset to this team by becoming the sixth Huskie to be named MAC Player of the Year and the fourth in the past seven seasons.

Kelly has also started in each match and played all 28 matches and played in all sets this season. She leads NIU with 3.07 kills per set.

She also has a .266 hitting percentage, 3.87 points per set and averaged .63 blocks per set.

She leads the Huskies with 16 solo blocks. Kelly also shares the lead with Radtke in service aces with 33.

Wolowicz is the third Huskie to start in all 28 matches. She has hit an average of .323 this season, has gotten 1.87 kills and made 1.07 blocks per set. Wolowicz is deserving of the MAC West Defensive Player of the Week title, which she earned twice.

Zielinski averaged 1.59 kills per set and .260 hitting percentage in all of the 28 matches she’s started and 104 sets played. She improved her blocking average from .79 to .90 on the season. Zielinski also had a four consecutive MAC match run hitting a percentage of .500 or better. The All-MAC First Team selection of last season, earned MAC Offensive Player of the Week twice.