CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Three Illini garnered Big Ten Conference postseason volleyball honors, the league announced on Thursday (April 8) as junior Taylor Kuper was selected to the All-Big Ten First-Team and senior Megan Cooney earned All-Big Ten Second-Team accolades. Freshman Sophie Gregus was tabbed as Illinois' Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient.  

Kuper becomes the first defensive specialist or libero to earn all-conference first-team accolades in program history after a breakout season in her first year in the libero jersey. The Lenexa, Kansas native saw action in all 71 sets for the Illini, ranking third in the NCAA with 40 aces and fourth in the nation with a 0.56 aces per set, while leading the conference in both categories. She ranked third in the league with 4.41 digs per set, with her 313 total digs sitting fourth in the Big Ten, while also registering a .966 reception percentage after committing just 17 errors in 502 attempts. The most recent Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honoree notched six 20-dig matches and one double-double on the season, while also adding 84 assists for the Illini.

One of the mainstays in the Illinois lineup throughout her entire collegiate career, Cooney played in 16 of the Illini's 18 matches, only missing two contests due to a non-COVID-19-related injury, ranking second on the team and seventh in the Big Ten with 205 kills for a 3.31 kills per set average that sat ninth in the league. She was third on the team with 37 total blocks, while also contributing 109 digs, 14 aces and eight assists. The Topeka, Kansas native, who reached a career milestone of 1,000 kills earlier this season, reached double-digits kills in 12 matches and recorded four double-doubles on the season.

Minnesota's Stephanie Samedy was named the Big Ten Player of the Year by a vote of the conference's coaches, with Jena Otec of Purdue earning Defensive Player of the Year. For the second-straight season Sydney Hilley of Wisconsin was selected Setter of the Year, while Ohio State's Emily Londot was tabbed Freshman of the Year. Buckeye head coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg was named the Coach of the Year by both coaches and media in her first season at the helm of the OSU program.  

For more Fighting Illini volleyball news, stay tuned to FightingIllini.com and follow @IlliniVBall on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook.

FIRST TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Taylor Kuper, Jr., L, Illinois
Courtney Buzzerio, Jr., S/RS, Iowa
Erika Pritchard, Sr., OH, Maryland
Taylor Landfair, Fr., OH, Minnesota
REGAN PITTMAN, Sr., MB, MINNESOTA
STEPHANIE SAMEDY, Sr., OPP, MINNESOTA
Nicklin Hames, Jr., S, Nebraska
LAUREN STIVRINS, Sr., MB, NEBRASKA
LEXI SUN, Sr., OH, NEBRASKA
Temi Thomas Ailara, So., OPP, Northwestern
EMILY LONDOT, Fr., RS, OHIO STATE
Mac Podraza, So., S, Ohio State
Kaitlyn Hord, Jr., MH, Penn State
Hayley Bush, Jr., S, Purdue
Grace Cleveland, Jr., OH, Purdue
Caitlyn Newton, Sr., OH, Purdue
Jena Otec, Sr., L, Purdue
Inna Balyko, Jr., S, Rutgers
SYDNEY HILLEY, Sr., S, WISCONSIN
Grace Loberg, Sr., OH, Wisconsin
DANA RETTKE, Sr., MB, WISCONSIN
Devyn Robinson, Fr., RS, Wisconsin

ALL CAPS denotes unanimous selection
Additional members named to team due to ties

SECOND TEAM ALL-BIG TEN
Megan Cooney, Sr., OH, Illinois
Adanna Rollins, Jr., OH, Minnesota
Vanja Bukilic, Jr., OH, Ohio State
Kylie Murr, So., L, Ohio State
Rylee Rader, Fr., MB, Ohio State
Gabby Blossom, Jr., S, Penn State
Jonni Parker, Jr., RS, Penn State
Lauren Barnes, Sr., L, Wisconsin
Molly Haggerty, Sr., OH, Wisconsin
Danielle Hart, Sr., MB, Wisconsin

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Jess Mruzik, OH, Michigan
Taylor Landfair, OH, Minnesota
Melani Shaffmaster, S, Minnesota
Emily Londot, RS, Ohio State
Rylee Rader, MB, Ohio State
Taylor Trammell, MB, Purdue
Devyn Robinson, RS, Wisconsin

Player of the Year: Stephanie Samedy, Sr., Minnesota
Defensive Player of the Year: Jena Otec, Sr., Purdue
Setter of the Year: Sydney Hilley, Sr., Wisconsin
Freshman of the Year: Emily Londot, Ohio State
Coach of the Year (Coaches & Media): Jen Flynn Oldenburg, Ohio State

SPORTSMANSHIP HONOREES
Sophie Gregus, Illinois
Leyla Blackwell, Indiana
Edina Schmidt, Iowa
Chloe Prejean, Maryland
Maddie Dowd, Michigan
Alyssa Chronowski, Michigan State
Bayley McMenimen, Minnesota
Hayley Densberger, Nebraska
Ivey Whalen, Northwestern
Lauren Witte, Ohio State
Jenna Hampton, Penn State
Marissa Hornung, Purdue
Kamila Cieslik, Rutgers
Nicole Shanahan, Wisconsin