KENOSHA, Wis. – Natalie Harris earned GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second straight season, becoming the first to win the award in back-to-back years. Harris also secured a spot on the First Team All-GLIAC, joined by fellow First Team selection Sam Fisch. Ava Irvin was named Second Team All-GLIAC, while freshman standout Avary Polavin earned Honorable Mention recognition, giving the Rangers four total all-conference honorees for the 2025 campaign.

Natalie Harris: GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year, First Team All-GLIAC
Natalie Harris has been crowned the GLIAC Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, becoming the first player in program history to earn the award in back-to-back years. The reigning champion continued her dominance in 2025, earning GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors three times while anchoring the Parkside defense. Harris finished the regular season as the conference leader in total digs with 515, an impressive 91 digs more than the next closest athlete. She also topped the GLIAC in digs per set at 5.31, a mark that ranks 20th nationally, showcasing her consistency and elite court coverage. In addition to her defensive impact, Harris was a weapon from the service line, totaling 36 aces to rank fifth in the GLIAC, rounding out another standout season worthy of repeat recognition.

Harris' reliability was on full display throughout the year, recording 12 matches with 20 or more digs and five matches with 30 or more. Her season also featured a career-best performance of 34 digs against Missouri S&T, further highlighting her elite defensive presence. Along with earning the conference's top defensive honor, Natalie Harris has also been named First Team All-GLIAC for her outstanding all-around contributions.

"We are so proud of how Natalie stepped up and into an even bigger role this year and excited to see her hard work and play rewarded," said Head Coach Leigh Barea. "To carry the pressure of the reigning defensive player of the year and then raise her play to another level is impressive. She has the ability to impact matches and force teams to attack away from her. Even in those moments, she is versatile enough to play whatever defense we needed for the match up we were going for and excel in it."

Sam Fisch: First Team All-GLIAC
Sam Fisch earned First Team All-GLIAC honors for the second consecutive season, further solidifying her presence as one of the conference's premier offensive threats. She closed the regular season with 342 kills while ranking third in the GLIAC in both kills per set (3.53) and points per set (3.96). Fisch continued to be a force at the net as well, finishing with 76 total blocks to round out another highly productive campaign. She delivered eight matches with 15 or more kills—including two performances with 25-plus—and recorded a career-high 27 kills against Davenport. She also posted a career-best .571 hitting percentage with 14 kills against Truman State and earned GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors once this season, adding another accolade to her standout year.

"It has been fun watching Sam continue to learn and grow in her position and to be one of the top point scores in the GLIAC while also improving her efficiency from last year to this year," said Leigh Barea. "Not only is her presence felt offensively, but defensively she has been able to impact the match with her block and scores point or slows the ball down to help her team succeed. As a teammate, she has stepped up as a leader both on and off the court which has been really cool to see."

Ava Irvin: Second Team All-GLIAC
Ava Irvin earned Second Team All-GLIAC honors after delivering a strong and consistent season for the Rangers. She finished the regular season ranked fifth in the conference in both kills per set (3.29) and points per set (3.81), while her 319 total kills placed her sixth overall. Irvin also recorded her 1,000th career kill against Malone University, marking a major milestone in her career. She put together seven matches with 15 or more kills, including a season-high 22 against the University of Indianapolis. She added 201 digs, 27 service aces, five double-doubles, and 44 total blocks, rounding out a well-balanced performance across all phases of play.

"Ava is so deserving of this honor and it is because of her hard work and dedication that she earned it," said Barea. "Watching her come back from injury a year ago and stepping into a 6 rotation role this year for her team is something truly admirable. She continues to be a top scorer in the GLIAC and we would not have had the success we had this year without her impacting all areas of the game." 

Avary Polavin: Honorable Mention All-GLIAC
Avary Polavin made an immediate impact in her freshman season, earning Honorable Mention All-GLIAC recognition. She closed the regular season with 147 kills, 27 digs, and 16 blocks across 21 matches. Polavin delivered eight outings with double-digit kills, including two matches where she reached 16 kills—her regular-season career high.

"We are so excited for Avary to receive this recognition her freshman season," remarked Barea. "We asked Avary to step into a big role for us and she did so with a fearless attitude that helped her succeed and make a big impact this season, she was among one of the top attacking freshman in the conference."

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