---NKU’s Liz Holmes prepares to unleash one of her attacks earlier this season. Holmes was named GLVC Player of the Year on Wednesday. The senior middle hitter leads the GLVC in both hitting percentage (.447) and kills (4.59 kpg).

INDIANAPOLIS - Northern Kentucky University’s Liz Holmes has been named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year in volleyball, the league announced Wednesday.

Holmes, a senior middle hitter and a graduate of Mercy High School in Cincinnati, has led NKU to a 26-7 record this season. She currently leads the GLVC in hitting percentage (.447), kills per game (4.59 kpg) and points (5.43).

Earlier this season, Holmes became NKU’s all-time leader in career kills and was named the AVCA National Player of the Week on Oct. 15. Holmes, who has earned a spot on the All-GLVC first team the past three seasons and was named the league’s Freshman of the Year in 2004, enters the GLVC Tournament with 1,818 career kills.

Kristin Koralewski was the most recent NKU volleyball standout to be named GLVC Player of the Year (2004).

Joining Holmes on the All-GLVC first team is NKU senior outside hitter Tristen Dye, who leads the GLVC in service aces (0.55 sapg). Dye, a native of Millersburg, Ohio, became just the eighth player in Norse history to record both 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in a career. The West Holmes High School graduate averages 3.97 kills per game and leads NKU with 420 digs.

Junior right-side hitter Kristina Eisenmenger is the third NKU player voted to the All-GLVC first team. The Notre Dame Academy graduate ranks No. 2 in the GLVC in hitting percentage (.397) and No. 5 in kills (4.14 kpg). Eisenmenger collected her 1,000th career kill earlier this season.

NKU junior setter Natalie Forbes was named to the All-GLVC second team. Forbes, a graduate of Highlands High School, has directed the NKU offense to a GLVC-leading .304 hitting percentage. She also ranks No. 2 in the GLVC in assists (13.64 apg).

NKU will meet Rockhurst in the opening round of the GLVC Tournament this Friday at 5 p.m. The GLVC Tournament is being hosted by top-seeded Indianapolis. The NKU/Rockhurst winner will take on either Indianapolis or Southern Indiana at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the GLVC Tournament semifinals.

NKU is ranked 25th nationally in the latest NCAA Division II poll. The Norse are No. 5 in the Great Lakes Region poll.

ALL-GLVC FIRST TEAM
Outside Hitters
Casey Chrzastowski, Sr., Indianapolis
Tristen Dye, Sr., Northern Kentucky
Courtney Hendrickson, Sr., Drury

Middle Hitters
Liz Holmes, Sr., Northern Kentucky
Christy Trame, Jr., Missouri-St. Louis

Setters
Andrea Morrone, Sr., Lewis
Beth Robbins, Jr., Indianapolis

Opposite Hitter
Kristina Eisenmenger, Jr., Northern Kentucky

Defensive Specialist
Kyleigh Turner, So., Indianapolis

ALL-GLVC SECOND TEAM
Outside Hitters
Chelsea Bibelhauser, Sr., Bellarmine
Emily Rahn, Jr., SIU Edwardsville
Stephanie Sagat, So., Lewis

Middle Hitters
Rachel Fowler, Sr., Rockhurst
Kim Richards, So., Lewis

Setters
Mallory Clements, Jr., SIU Edwardsville
Natalie Forbes, Jr., Northern Kentucky

Opposite Hitter
Emily Crowley, Fr., Rockhurst

Defensive Specialist
Jackie Nehls, Sr., UW-Parkside

ALL-GLVC THIRD TEAM
Outside Hitters
Audrey Boese, Jr., Rockhurst
Lyndsay Callahan, Fr., Indianapolis
Kaylan Koepke, Fr., Quincy

Middle Hitters
Kelsey Hubert, Jr., SIU Edwardsville
Elizabeth Shuyler, Sr., Indianapolis

Setters
Amanda Hydorn, Sr., Rockhurst
Brittney Paul, Jr., Quincy

Opposite Hitter
Claudia Medina, Sr., Missouri-St. Louis

Defensive Specialist
Ashlee Lindish, Fr., Lewis

Player of the Year: Liz Holmes, Northern Kentucky

Freshman of the Year: Emily Crowley, Rockhurst

Coach of the Year: Jody Butera, Indianapolis