Heartland Community College Women’s Volleyball have claimed their first NJCAA Division II National Championship title.
The Hawks entered the championship tournament, held November 19-22 in Cedar Rapids, IA, as the number 2 seed and defeated Sauk Valley, St. Johns River State, and Cowley on their way to the championship round.
The Hawks won three straight against number 4 seed Kansas City Kansas to claim the title.
The Hawks controlled the match with solid defense and timely offense. Sophomores Libby Detweiler (Bloomington), Graci Junis (Morton), and freshman Addison Pacha (Germantown Hills) each contributed 9 kills apiece, with the team collecting 43 total kills at the end of the match.
Sophomore Sam Molenouse’s (Chicago) 23 digs secured her the title of All-Time dig leader for Heartland Community College.
Setter Brooklyn Brennan (Fulton), a sophomore, earned Player of the Tournament Honors.
Counting the championship win, Heartland posted a 40-4 record to finish the season. The Hawks were undefeated at home (15-0) and in conference (6-0) with a .909 winning percentage. Their set wins for the season totaled 145-20 as they swept their opponents in 34 matches.
