The Denver volleyball team clinched their fifth-straight Summit League Regular Season Championship following their 24th win over Oral Roberts in Hamilton Gymnasium. The Pioneers swept Oral Roberts 25-17, 25-9 and 25-12 to wrap up their 2018 home season and extend their perfect record in the Summit League (13-0).
The seniors, Becca Latham (Austin, Texas), Emma Willis (La Jolla, Calif.) and Olivia Novotny (Germantown, Tenn.) were honored for their contributions to the team over the last four years.
In her freshman year at DU, Latham played in 110 of DU’s 128 sets and led the freshmen class with 140 kills and 55 blocks. From there, she only increased her numbers, appearing in all 116 sets her sophomore year with 210 kills, followed by a junior year in which she started in all 15 matches. Latham led the Summit League in hitting percentage with a .350 and finished the year ranked 69th nationally in hitting percentage. She accumulated 323 kills that year. Due to her hard work, Latham was named to the U.S. Collegiate National Team-China Tour. During the tour, Latham led the U.S. in scoring in their match against Beijing BAIC with 18 points coming from 16 kills and two blocks. Following that match, Latham led the team again in their win against Hebei with 16 points on 14 kills and two blocks. This year, Latham has helped lead the team through example.
Willis finished third her sophomore year in the Summit League for hitting percentage, first in total blocks and first in blocks per set after leading Denver with 131 blocks, six of which were solo. She appeared in all 116 sets for the Pioneers and finished 73rd in the NCAA for hitting percentage, and 81st for total blocks. Her junior year, Willis appeared in all 102 sets for the Pioneers and led the team in total blocks with 117 blocks, nine of which were unassisted. She led the Summit League in three categories; total blocks, assisted blocks and blocks per set and finished the season nationally ranked in blocks per set and total blocks. This year, Willis has been leading the team in blocks and senior night was no exception. The senior tallied three blocks and ten kills to lead the team in both categories.
Novotny, a libero/defensive specialist for the Pioneers, played in 18 matches her junior year, but really blossomed her senior year, earning a Summit League Defensive Player of the Week honor for the week of August 27, 2018. This year, she has had 138 digs, averaging out to 2.60 digs per set as well as totaling 40 aces. On Senior Night, she had one ace and two digs.
Overall, the team tallied 43 kills and nine aces as well as seven blocks. Sophomore Ellie Anderson (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) had 22 assists against Oral Roberts, bringing her season total to 579 assists.
The Pioneers will finish their 2018 regular season with two away matches, one against Western Illinois on Friday, Nov. 9, and playing Purdue Fort Wayne on Nov. 11.
