Krause, Figy, Bentley Top All-Heart Selections
Oskaloosa–Five individuals from the Statesmen men’s volleyball program garnered postseason recognition as the all-Heart of America Athletic Conference teams were announced Wednesday.
Landon Krause (So., Appleton, Wis., Sports Management), Charlie Figy (So., Appleton, Wis., Sports Management), and Ike Papes (Jr., Elwood, Ill., Business Management) were all named to the 10-person first team, while Connor Muff (Sr., Kenosha, Wis., Business Management) was chosen as part of the 10-person second team. An additional 10 members were named to the honorable-mention squad.
Figy (second team in 2021) and Papes (honorable mention in 2020) are now two-time honorees, while Krause and Muff are all-Heart recipients for the first time.
Krause was also selected as the Heart’s Attacker of the Year, while Figy claimed the Heart Defender of the Year laurel. The top awards are the first in the young program’s history.
Head Coach Luke Bentley, in his third year, was honored as the league’s Coach of the Year as well. His Statesmen improved from 10 wins last year to owning a 22-6 overall record (14-4 Heart) this season and being ranked for most of the year, highlighted at #2 in February.
Krause enters postseason play with 296 kills (3.52 per set) on a .390 attack clip. He has also recorded 139 digs, 56 blocks (seven solos, 49 assists), 49 aces, and 19 assists.
A two-time Heart Attacker of the Week and one-time Defender of the Week, he has thus far posted 17 double-digit efforts, headlined by a high of 25 kills vs. Park on March 8. Krause has also tallied five double-doubles.
Figy currently has 152 kills (1.73 per set) to his credit with an attack percentage of .395. The sophomore has been dominant at the defensive net with 101 blocks (12 solos, 89 assists), along with 30 digs, 21 aces, and six assists.
The two-time Defender of the Week has two double-doubles with a high of 13 kills versus Clarke on March 2. Figy has produced nine matches with at least five blocks (high of eight twice).
Papes currently sits with 347 kills (4.13 per set) on a .321 attack mark. The junior has also accumulated 89 digs, 38 blocks (seven solos, 31 assists), 23 aces, and 10 assists.
He has posted 21 double-digit efforts with a high of 23 kills against Clarke on March 2.
Muff enters the league tourney with 880 assists (10.11 per set), while also tallying 90 digs, 47 blocks (two solos, 45 assists), 40 kills (.537 attack %), and 35 aces.
The two-time Heart Setter of the Week has 19 matches with at least 30 assists, including breaking the school single-match record with 56 helpers against Park on March 8.
Francisco Arredondo of Grand View was named both Heart Player and Setter of the Year, while Freshman/Newcomer of the Year honors went to Lucas Rebula of Mount Mercy.
