ST. LOUIS – Missouri Baptist University women's volleyball won four American Midwest Conference individual awards and had seven on all-conference teams, announced on Tuesday.
 
Gabi Jakubowska won both Player of the Year and Attacker of the Year for an impressive junior campaign, while Maiana Coelho claimed Setter of the Year and first-year coach Claire Ochs won Coach of the Year.
 
Jakubowska, a junior from Katowice, Poland, won both awards for the first time in her career along with her third consecutive selection to the All-AMC First Team. In 33 matches in 2024, she averaged 4.43 kills per set with a .269 hitting percentage. She additionally helped the net defense with 56.0 total blocks and won five AMC Attacker of the Week awards.
 
Coelho was selected as the Setter of the Year and an All-AMC First Team selection after claiming seven of 11 AMC Setter of the Week awards. The senior from Recife, Brazil, broke out this season with a conference-best 9.81 assists per set with a season-high 52 assists in a five-set win over No. 6 Midland University on Aug. 23. She additionally contributed with 38 service aces, second on the Spartans, and 2.49 digs per set.
 
In her first season at the helm, Head Coach Claire Ochs led the Spartans to a perfect 11-0 in conference play to claim the AMC regular season crown and a 22-11 record overall. Under her leadership, MBU claimed seven all-conference awards and two individual awards.
 
Joining Jakubowska and Coelho on the first team were Kassie Lee, Julia Pereira, and Kirsten van der Vleuten. Lee totaled 93.0 total blocks with 2.35 kills per set and a .264 hitting percentage. Pereira anchored the defense as the libero and led the conference in total digs with 577, while van der Vleuten led the AMC in blocks per set with 1.02, winning a pair of AMC Defender of the Week awards.
 
The Spartans also had a pair chosen to the AMC honorable mention team. Freshman outside hitter Elina Arsov averaged 2.35 kills per set and won Attacker of the Week on Aug. 19. Senior Luiza Arsufi was also selected, leading the conference with 47 service aces and 1.72 digs per set.
 
Other AMC awards announced on Tuesday included the AMC Volleyball Champions of Character and Academic All-AMC teams. Kirsten van der Vleuten was MBU's selection for the Champions of Character Team as the individual who best represents the NAIA's five core values of Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Servant Leadership, and Sportsmanship.
 
The Spartans placed nine student-athletes on the Academic All-Conference squad, which requires a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. MBU's list included Luiza Arsufi, Lauren Clawson, Natalie Edson, Paige Glueck, Gabi Jakubowska, Tayler Neal, Maiana Coelho, Lily Stout, and Kirsten van der Vleuten.