MACOMB, Ill. - Before the 2011 season is in full swing, Western Illinois head coach Kym McKay reflected on the 2010 season as she recognized juniors Megan Toczek and Cait Egan with year-end awards.
Toczek was named most improved player and most valuable teammate while the Antioch, Ill. native also shared the team's most valuable player award with Egan.
Both Toczek and Egan were recently named to The Summit League's Fall Academic All-League team and earned "Distinguished Scholar" honors with grade-point averages above 3.60 or better in the classroom. In fact, all 12 active Western Illinois volleyball players during the 2010 season earned Academic All-League honors.
Western Illinois starts spring practices on Monday, March 21 and will welcome five freshmen to the 2011 squad in the Fall:
Ann Miller - outside hitter from Davenport, Iowa
Samantha Fournier - right side hitter from Coal Valley, Ill.
Mallory Gibson - middle hitter from Port Byron, Ill.
Bailey Kaloupek - defensive specialist from Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Molly Murphy - defensive specialist from Chicago, Ill.
Most Improved Player
* player who showed the most improvement from the previous season and/or throughout the season.
Megan Toczek (MH - 6-3 - Jr. - Antioch, Ill./Antioch) Â
"After a slow preseason start, Megan made huge strides and by mid-season became the teams most reliable starter. I credit Assistant Coach Eric Lazowski for helping Megan get on the path she took during her junior year. He was the catalyst for the increases in her confidence and team presence."
Most Valuable Teammate
* player whose presence on and off the court is beneficial to every member of the program.
Megan Toczek (MH - 6-3 - Jr. - Antioch, Ill./Antioch) Â
"Megan developed into a must-have player and teammate this season. She earned her roles by working hard, being highly coachable and putting the team first. She displayed maturity in every situation she encountered and became a respected leader on the team because of her positive attitude and personality. Megan switched positions part way through the season. She made the change without hesitation and this switch shifted the team dynamic in a positive way."
Co-Most Valuable Players
Cait Egan (MH - 6-1 - Jr. - Evergreen Park, Ill./Evergreen Park)
AND
Megan Toczek (MH - 6-3 - Jr. - Antioch, Ill./Antioch)
EGAN
Egan saw action in all 30 matches and recorded 24 starts, including 21 straight to begin the season. Egan topped the squad in points (334.5), points per set (2.91), attack percentage (.245), solo blocks (26), block assists (61) and total blocks (87.0). She also ranked second on the team in kills (258) and service aces (20). Egan posted 13 double-digit kill efforts, including seven out of eight matches from Sept. 20-Oct. 15. She recorded at least four total blocks in 11 matches and at least one solo block in 20 matches. Egan had an attack percentage over .300 in 13 matches and posted at least two service aces in six matches.
Egan enters her senior season tied for the sixth most solo blocks in program history (67) and is currently eighth all-time in total blocks (276). She also ranks ninth all-time in block assists (209) and attack percentage (.243). Egan needs just 94 more kills to crack the program's top ten and 212 kills to become just the ninth player in school history to amass 1,000 career kills.
TOCZEK
Toczek played in 29 matches and recorded 16 consecutive starts to finish the season. She ranked second on the squad in solo blocks (7), third in total blocks (42.0) and sixth in kills (85). Toczek collected season highs of nine kills, six digs and five total blocks versus Oral Roberts (Oct. 29). She also picked up nine kills and three total blocks against UMKC (Oct. 15). Toczek, who owns 120 career total blocks, needs just 85 kills during her senior season to reach the 500-career kills milestone.
