A Chapman record: Six volleyball players earn All-Independent

ORANGE, Calif. – A school-record six Chapman University women's volleyball players have been named to the All-Independent team on Wednesday by the Association of Division III Independents, including three first-team selections. The Panthers broke their previous best of five selections set last season.

Senior S Kat Kowalski, junior libero Alyssa Swatek, and sophomore MB Kate Ferrin were named to the first-team.

Ferrin adds this award to a long list of achievements this season which includes All-America and All-Region honors. In her first full year starting at Chapman, Ferrin led the team in blocks (48) and hitting percentage (.299). In addition, Ferrin had four games with 15 or more kills and ranked second on the team in kills with 294.

Another All-West Region selection, Swatek earned All-Independent honors after she led the team with 573 digs, including 30 or more digs in six matches. Her 6.6 digs per set this season ranked No. 10 in Division III and tied her for second-best in school history with two-time All-American Linda Ly.

For the third-consecutive year, Kowalski landed herself on the All-Independent team and this is her second selection to the first team. The senior has directed the offense throughout her tenure in Orange and 2010 was no different as she led the Panthers with 775 assists and was tied for second on the team with 21 service aces. She is the school's all-time leader in career assists with 3,729.

Chapman's offense was centered on Mady Dahlstrom who earned second-team honors. The freshman OH led the Panthers with 329 kills. Two other freshmen earned honorable mention in OH McKenna Roice and OH Lena Buckendorf who finished third and fourth on the team in kills with 227 and 168, respectively.

Despite having a team with just three upperclassmen (one senior) and 10 freshmen, the Panthers finished the season 17-11 which marks the eighth winning season in a row under head coach Mary Cahill.

The Association of Division III Independents consists of 14 NCAA Division III independent institutions that have joined together to recognize student-athletes at independent institutions, and to provide exempted postseason championship competition. The Association recognizes outstanding athletic achievements of its student-athletes on a weekly, monthly and annual basis.

by Robert Flicker
Sports Information Intern