Volleyball hands out team awards at end-of-season banquet

Montana held its end-of-season volleyball banquet earlier this month, celebrating a 2019 season that featured a return to the Big Sky Conference tournament.

Montana has now qualified for the postseason tournament in back-to-back seasons after going the previous four without doing so.

While the 2019 season featured many ups and downs, reaching the conference tournament was particularly impressive considering where the Grizzlies began the year.

Nine of Montana's 13 players were true or redshirt freshmen, with eight making their collegiate debuts this past fall. All eight earned at least one set start, with seven starting a match. In fact, Montana relied so heavily on its underclassmen that at least three freshmen started every match.

With so much youth, in addition to being without its starting setter, the Grizzlies dropped their first 24 sets of the season. After going 1-10 in non-conference play, Montana opened up the first half of Big Sky play with a 1-8 mark. Sitting at just 2-18 in late October, qualifying for the postseason tournament seemed like more than a reach.

That's when things turned around, however. By moving all-conference performer Missy Huddleston to the middle blocker position, a spark was created and Montana surged to a winning record during the back half of its league schedule. In fact, just three teams had a better record in the second half of conference play than Montana, with the Grizzlies earning three road wins, including at rivals Montana State and Idaho. The win in Moscow was Montana's first since 1991, well before any of its players were born.

During the banquet, Montana celebrated its season with a highlight video, speeches from the senior class and the presentation of team awards.

Below are the awards that were given out, which were voted on by the student-athletes:

Most Improved Player – Alicia Wallingford
On a season in which improvement was seen across the board from players top to bottom, fans might not have been able to see the growth of Wallingford, a freshman middle blocker who played in eight sets across five matches, recording two blocks. While being presented the award, however, Wallingford was praised for her growth – particularly early on during preseason – not to mention her hunger, joy, attention to detail and desire to make her teammates better.

Most Inspirational Player – Missy Huddleston
Fans got to witness Huddleston the all-conference player, the one who over the final 10 games of the regular season averaged 3.10 kills per set on .276 hitting, in addition to a league-best 1.15 blocks per set during that span. For the second year in a row, though, Huddleston earned the Most Inspirational Player award for what she does behind the scenes. While being presented the award, Huddleston was described as being relentless, brave, courageous and a role model for both the community and team.

TMO MVP – Kelsey Nestegard
Given to the team's scout team MVP, Nestegard was praised for bring the heat and passion every day during practice. She's one of the most competitive players in the gym, not to mention the best cheerer of her teammates. During her first season on the court, Nestegard played in 15 sets across nine matches, earning one start. She had nine digs and two service aces.

Team MVP – Amethyst Harper
While many freshmen made immediate impacts in 2019, none made a bigger mark than Harper, who set a Montana freshman kills record with 355.

Harper wasn't just the best player on the Grizzlies, but one of the top players in the league. During 18 Big Sky matches, Harper averaged 3.71 kills per set on .230 hitting, also adding 2.72 digs per set (second on the team) and 0.54 blocks per set (fourth). Her kills-per-set average ranked fifth in Big Sky play and was first among freshmen. Harper was in double figures for kills in 16 of 18 league matches, including 11 in a row to close the regular season. She led Montana for kills 13 times. Over the final five weeks, only UNC sophomore Kailey Jo Ince averaged more kills per set than Harper.

Harper was the league's only player – regardless of class – to record 21 or more kills in three separate four-set matches. She became the third Montana freshman to tally 21 kills in a match since scores dropped from 30 to 25 in 2008, and the only one to do so multiple times or in a four-set match.

The Heart of the Grizzly Award – Missy Huddleston
The Heart of the Grizzly award goes to a player – selected by the coaching staff – whose character and work ethic represent a Grizzly and what the program strives to be about. Huddleston emulates these traits in many ways, but perhaps biggest was when she selflessly moved midseason to the middle blocker position.

"I swear this award could be the Heart of Missy award," Lawrence said while presenting the award at the banquet. "Everything she does is in line with what we're trying to do."

University of Montana Athletics

Volleyball hands out team awards at end-of-season banquet

Players Mentioned

Amethyst Harper

Missy Huddleston

Kelsey Nestegard

Alicia Wallingford

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