Krause, Figy as First-Teamers Lead Five on AVCA NAIA All-America Lists
Oskaloosa–The William Penn men’s volleyball team continued the awards season with a large haul as the AVCA NAIA All-America teams were announced Monday.
Landon Krause (Sr., Appleton, Wis., Business Management) and Charlie Figy (Sr., Appleton, Wis., Secondary Education PE K-12) were named to the 12-person first team, while Britten Beallis (So., Naperville, Ill., Sports Management) was part of the 12-person second squad.
Sixteen additional individuals claimed honorable mentions, including Matt Helmick (Sr., Fullerton, Calif., Business Management) and Ike Papes (Sr., Elwood, Ill., Sports Management).
Krause, Figy, and Papes are all now three-time honorees from the AVCA, while Helmick is a two-time winner. Beallis’ award is his first.
The Statesmen enter the NAIA National Championship with a 22-6 overall record (14-4 Heart) and a share of their first-ever Heart of America Athletic Conference regular season title.
Krause, who is on the top team for the second time in his career, has produced a team-high 378 kills (3.57 per set) on a .322 attack clip. He leads the team in aces with 36, has notched 190 digs (1.79 per set), and has tallied 94 blocks (seven solos, 87 assists, 0.89 per set).
The senior has recorded 22 double-digit kill performances and owns seven double-doubles (kills and digs). He had his best outing thus far of 23 kills and 15 digs against Kansas Wesleyan on March 14.
Figy, who is on the top squad for the first time, won his award via the production of 189 kills (1.78 per set) on a team-best .463 hitting mark. He also has 18 aces and 40 digs, while accounting for 101 total blocks (nine solos, 92 assists, 0.95 per set).
He has eclipsed double-figure kills on four occasions this spring and has tallied at least five blocks in nine separate matches with a high of eight twice.
Beallis won his laurel after having already tallied 184 kills (1.74 per set) with a .448 hitting percentage. He has also produced 58 digs and 12 aces, while leading the navy and gold with 118 total blocks (20 solos, 98 assists, 1.11 per set).
The sophomore, who has hit double digits in kills three times (high of 11 vs. Park on March 5), finished the regular season with 12 matches of at least five blocks (high of 11 vs. Saint Xavier on January 27).
Helmick claimed his recognition courtesy of 783 assists (9.55 per set), while having also accumulated 14 kills, 13 aces, 137 digs (1.67 per set), and 18 blocks.
The senior, who has been an honorable mention both times from the AVCA, has had five matches with at least 40 assists (59 twice). Helmick has already tallied four double-doubles (assists and digs).
Papes, who is an AVCA honorable mention for the first time, enters nationals with 306 kills (3.03 per set) on a .250 clip. He also has 117 digs and 34 blocks (one solo, 33 assists) to his credit.
The senior has eclipsed double-digit kills in 15 matches with a season-best 24 versus Grand View on April 5.
Patrick Paragas of The Master’s (Calif.) was named AVCA NAIA Player and Newcomer of the Year. Coach of the Year honors went to his head coach, Jared Goldberg, while Wellington Afusia of Ottawa (Ariz.) claimed the Assistant Coach of the Year laurel.
