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DOWAGIAC — The success of the Southwestern Michigan College volleyball team continues in its second year of competition after reinstating the sport following an absence of nearly three decades.

The Roadrunners improved on its win total from 2022, its finish in the Michigan Community College Athletic Association Western Conference standings, and the number of postseason honors from the MCCAA.

On Thursday, Niles sophomore Nikki Nate was named the MCCAA Western Conference Player of the Year. Nate was also All-MCCAA and first-team All-Western Conference.

Buchanan freshman Josie West, despite missing some matches due to a foot injury, was also named first-team All-Western Conference. West was also a member of the Western Conference All-Freshman team.

Sophomores Emma Beckman, of Niles, and Bianca Hobson, of Kalamazoo, were second-team All-Western Conference selections.

Nate’s ascension to the No. 1 player in the Western Conference is just slightly short of a miracle. The former Niles standout had the first of two labrum surgeries following her senior year with the Vikings, which appeared to have ended her volleyball career.

Nate turned her focus to going to school and becoming a nurse. But when her mom, the former Niles volleyball coach, was named head coach at SMC, Nate’s dream of playing college volleyball came true.

For her efforts as a freshman, Nate was named second-team All-Western Conference.

Heading into her second season with the Roadrunner, the middle hitter had to undergo a second labrum surgery, one to the other shoulder, and then suffered a hand injury for which she was cleared to play just 10 days before the season opener.

“She never let any of the injuries stop her,” said SMC Coach Jenny Nate. “She was literally trying to work out in a sling a couple days after her surgery. She focused on everything she could do to get ready for the season and never looked back.  She focused on strength, nutrition, and speed until she was able to touch a ball again.”

Nate win three MCCAA Offensive Player of the Week and one Defensive Player of the Week honor during the regular season.

“Nikki Nate is a tough, intense, smart, gritty player who has the top hitting percentage in the state of Michigan and is a top five stat leader in various offensive and defensive stat categories in entire MCCAA,” Jenny Nate said. “Nikki knows how to score against any opponent we face. At 5-foot-9, she can put the ball anywhere and has a multitude of shots and power. She is just as strong defensively and she is also our top blocker and one of our top serve receivers.”

West, who was a late addition to Roadrunners’ roster during the offseason, also battled with an injury during the regular season, but showed the same type of grit. When she returned to the court, she was forced to begin her comeback by playing only in the back row.

She eventually worked back into her normal outside hitting position and helped Southwestern Michigan get red-hot heading down the stretch of the regular season.

“Josie is an amazing positive leader who plays with energy and passion every single day,” Jenny Nate said. “She loves the game, her teammates, and is a joy to coach. She can literally do it all. Josie is a playmaker, and we can always count on her to get the pass and put the ball away in high stakes matches. We are so excited that she is a freshman so that we can continue to watch her achieve her athletic and academic goals here at SMC and continue to help us build another championship team and program. We are looking for big things from her at Regionals this week.”

Beckman and Hobson are two of the reasons why the Roadrunners were able to be successful in their inaugural season, and the reason Southwestern Michigan went from a 14-20 and 5-7 in the Western Conference in 2022 to 23-12 and 7-5 in league matches this year.

“Emma is a dynamic setter and right-side hitter for us,” Jenny Nate said. “She is smart, can run our offense, and then turn around and put the ball away from the right side. Emma’s positivity is infectious, and she brings a sense of trust, consistency, and fun to the court and our team.  It has been my pleasure and honor to have been Emma’s coach for the past six years both at the high school and college levels. I’m so grateful that she chose SMC and came to help us build a winning team and program.”

Nate is pleased that the conference also recognized Hobson as well for her contributions to the team.

“Bianca is an intense, strong player who can play any spot on the net,” Jenny Nate said. “She reads hitters incredibly well, has a great vertical, and can block any attacker. We can literally push ‘B’ to multiple positions when we need to put the ball away and run various offensive attacks. She is a true lover of the game is constantly working to improve her skills offensively and defensively.”

Lake Michigan College, which finished one spot ahead of SMC in the final Western Conference standings, also had a pair of All-MCCAA selections, two first-team All-Western Conference picks, three second-team selections, an honorable mention pick and two members of the All-Freshman squad.

Niles freshman Jillian Bruckner was All-MCCAA, first-team All-Western Conference and All-Freshman. Oliva Deeb joined her on the first-team All-Western Conference squad, while Kaylee McDaniel was also on the All-Freshman team.

The Red Hawks had Faith Lewis, McDaniel and Olivia Still earned second-team honors, while Sammi Juregensen was an honorable mention selection.

Former Buchanan standout Alea Fisher, from Glen Oaks Community College, earned Western Conference Honorable Mention honors.