Four Claim All-Heart Recognition
Oskaloosa–A quartet of Statesmen women’s volleyball players collected postseason honors as the 2025 all-Heart of America Athletic Conference teams were announced Wednesday.
Kaya Caprini (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn., Psychology and Human Services) and Maju Vieira (Jr., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Business Management) were both picked for the 14-person second team, while Mia Brady (Sr., Pontiac, Ill., Exercise Science) and Khiani Jackson (Sr., St. Joseph, Mo., Psychology) were two of the 19 honorable mentions in the league.
An addition 14 individuals were selected to both the first and third squads as well.
The accolade is the third for Caprini, while Vieira, Brady, and Jackson are all first-time honorees.
The honorees helped WPU to a 17-16 overall record, including a 7-11 mark in Heart play.
Caprini, whose second-team honor is the highest of her Statesmen career, finished her final campaign with 522 digs (4.28 per set) in addition to 99 assists and 24 aces.
The libero posted eight matches with at least 20 digs, including a season-high 34 against Mount Mercy on September 16.
Vieira guided the offense with 278 kills (2.50 per set) on a .150 attack clip from her outside hitter position. She also managed 286 digs (2.58 per set) in addition 36 aces and 28 blocks.
The junior recorded 10 double-doubles (kills and digs) with a season-best 20 kills versus Benedictine on October 3. Her campaign-high 21 digs came against Grand View on September 30.
Brady finished her senior year with 562 assists (4.80 per set), while also tallying a team-high 44 aces. She posted 251 digs and 15 kills as well.
Despite playing in a two-setter lineup, she still tallied a season-high 31 assists twice. The setter had eight double-doubles (assists and digs) with a year-best 15 digs versus Tabor on September 9.
Jackson’s 199 kills (1.72 per set) came on a .229 attack percentage. She also guided the net defense with a team-high 78 blocks in addition to 35 digs. The senior middle hitter’s 11 kills against Columbia on August 27 was a season high, while she had four blocks in nine separate matches. Her season-high seven stops happened in a September 12 matchup with Missouri Valley.
Gabi Jakubowska of Missouri Baptist was named Heart Player of the Year, while Mariana de Carvalho of Grand View was tabbed as Attacker of the Year.
Fernanda Perini (Missouri Baptist) and Emily Mathis (MidAmerica Nazarene) shared the Defender of the Year honor, while Setter of the Year honors went to Wren VanCleave of Benedictine. Valentina Navarro of Missouri Baptist claimed the Freshman of the Year award.
Claire Ochs of Missouri Baptist was chosen as the league’s Coach of the Year by her peers, while Izabella Ceratti of Park earned the Assistant Coach of the Year laurel.
