Mustangs rack up conference honors

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Coming off the most successful season in program history, eight members of the Morningside men's volleyball team received all-conference honors Wednesday.

Jacob DePauw, Owen Anderson, and Noah Marasco-Ayau received individual honors, announced by the GPAC. DePauw was named Setter of the Year, Anderson was named Co-Libero/Defender of the Year, and Marasco-Ayau was named Co-Coach of the Year. For DePauw and Anderson, this is their second player of the year awards of their careers.

DePauw, a junior from South Beloit, Ill., won the setter of the year award for the second time in his career this season. He set a new program record for assists in a season with 1,081 assists and for assists per set in a season at 9.48 assists per set. DePauw is second in program history with 2,474 career assists.

Outside of distributing the ball for the Mustang attackers, DePauw recorded 26 service aces to put his career total at 75, a new program record. He also had 171 digs, 64 kills, and 39 total blocks this season. 

Anderson, a junior from South Beloit, Ill., had a historic season of his own for the Mustangs. The Co-Libero/Defender of the Year racked up a personal best of 302 digs on 2.82 digs per set this season. Anderson's 302 digs is the second most in a single season in Morningside history. His career total of 725 digs is the most in program history.

As the libero for the Mustangs, Anderson played in 107 sets this season. Outside of his historic season digging up opponent attacks, Anderson finished one service ace short of tying DePauw's single-season record. He finished with 33 service aces to reach 68 for his career. Anderson is third in program history in service aces. 

DePauw and Anderson were also named first team all-conference. Joining those two on the first team is Natan Alves. The sophomore from Vila Velha, Brazil totaled 371 kills this season at 3.91 kills per sets. Alves tied the single season kills record and had the second most kills per set in a season in program history. Alves also totaled 183 digs, 63 total blocks, and 24 service aces.

Isaiah Baynes (Jr., Mankato, Minn.) and Tharen Cox (Jr., Norton, Kan.) were named second team all-conference. Baynes totaled 322 kills, 200 digs, 33 blocks, and 18 service aces this season. Cox finished the season with 161 kills, 88 total blocks, 64 digs, and 19 service aces.

Two Mustangs also received honorable mention honors. Erik Krenz (Gr., Mankato, Minn.) played in 19 matches, totaling 85 kills, 43 total blocks, and 26 digs. Jacob Baynes (Sr., Mankato, Minn.) finished the season with 139 kills, 83 digs, 14 total blocks and 11 service aces. 

Marasco-Ayau was named interim head coach of the Mustangs less than a month before the season, and he guided the Mustangs to program records in wins (17) and winning percentage (.531) in a season to win Co-Coach of the Year. The Mustangs finished the season with a 17-15 record overall and a 6-4 conference record. The Mustangs also made their first GPAC Championship match in program history this season, falling to Jamestown in the championship.