Bowe first ever WCC Volleyball All-American

Waubonsee Community College’s Erin Bowe was recently named an NJCAA Division II Women’s Volleyball Honorable Mention All-American, the first Waubonsee volleyball player to ever achieve that distinction. Bowe headlines a group of seven Lady Chiefs’ team members that have been recognized by the NJCAA’s Region IV and the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference for their outstanding performance during the team’s historic season. Bowe was tabbed to the All-Region First Team along with Kaitlyn Richter, while Laura Lyons was selected to the All-Region Second Team. Bowe was also chosen as the ISCC Player of the Year after leading Waubonsee to the program’s first ever conference title. Along with Bowe, Allison Humes was also chosen to the All-ISCC First Team, while Richter, Ellie Martin and Faith Montalbano were each named to the All-ISCC Second Team. Third-year head coach Steve Kish was selected as both the ISCC and Region IV Volleyball Coach of the Year after leading Waubonsee to its’ first ever appearance at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament.

Bowe, a sophomore from Geneva, led the Lady Chiefs in almost every statistical category. The 5’9” outside hitter finished in the top-20 nationally among all NJCAA Division II players in kills (474), digs (754) and points (580). The Rosary High School graduate also led Waubonsee in aces (52) and was third on the team in blocks (46). Bowe was ranked as the number two player in Region IV after helping lead Waubonsee to the Division II District B crown for the first time ever in the program’s history. A First Team All-ISCC and First Team All-Region selection as a freshman, Bowe finishes her Waubonsee career as the Lady Chiefs’ all-time leader in kills (968) and points (1,163.5).

A freshman from Batavia, Lyons was second on Waubonsee’s squad in kills (447), points (531.5) and digs (717), ranking 20th nationally in that category. The 5’7” outside hitter also recorded 38 aces, third most on the Lady Chiefs’ squad.

Despite starting the season slowly due to an off-season injury, Humes led Waubonsee with 94 blocks, putting her ninth nationally in that category. The 6’1” sophomore from Somonauk High School tallied 348 kills and was third on Waubonsee’s team with 491 points.

Martin, a sophomore from Aurora West High School, was 14th nationally in assists per game with a 9.17 average. Although she missed nearly a dozen matches due to injury, Waubonsee’s setter finished with 1,027 assists and 292 digs. As a freshman Martin was a First Team All-ISCC selection after finishing 18th nationally with 1,179 assists. Her two-year total of 2,206 assists puts her at the top of Waubonsee’s record book.

Montalbano, a 5’11” middle hitter from Aurora Christian High School, booked 64 blocks to finish 25th nationally in that category. Often coming off the bench, the sophomore also compiled 270 kills and 365 points on the season.

Kish, an alumnus of Aurora East High School, has guided the Lady Chiefs to 70 wins the last two years alone, including an 18-2 mark in the ISCC play. Waubonsee’s historic 2014 season included a victory over the NJCAA’s top-ranked Division II team at the time, Kirkwood (IA) Community College. Kish’s crew also accomplished several firsts for the program including cracking the national rankings for the first time when they were tabbed 22nd nationally in November. The Lady Chiefs went undefeated in ISCC play to captured the ISCC title for the first time. Waubonsee later downed Kankakee Community College to secure their first ever Region IV crown and National Tournament berth. Although the Lady Chiefs went 0-2 at the National Tournament in Phoenix, Ariz., they finished the season 35-16 overall, tying the program’s single-season record for wins set in 1994 and equaled in 2013.