Galas, Athen, Apel named NAIA All-Americans

NAIA Release

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Three Bellevue University volleyball student-athletes were named NAIA All-Americans in an announcement made today by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Senior setter Olivia Galas (Bellevue, Neb.) earned her fourth-straight first-team All-American nod. Senior outside hitter Sierra Athen (Red Oak, Iowa) garnered her third All-American award after being named to the second team. She was a third-team selection in 2021 and a second-team honoree in 2019. Sophomore middle blocker Jacki Apel (Bellevue, Neb.) earned honorable mention All-American honors. 

Galas earned her fifth-consecutive AVCA all-North Central Region accolade and was named the Region Player of the Year and the Region Setter of the Year. 

Galas, who is a five-time first-team all-NSAA selection and five-time NSAA Setter of the Year, led the North Star Athletic Association and ranked sixth nationally with 10.9 assists per set. Among setters running a 5-1 offense, Galas led the nation with 1.47 kills per set and a .338 hitting percentage. She also averaged 2.92 digs per set while amassing 64 total blocks. 

Earlier this season, Galas became the school's all-time leader in career assists. The three-time first-team NAIA All-American ended her career with 6,672 career assists, 1,526 career digs, 737 kills, and 137 service aces. 

Galas earned NSAA Setter of the Week honors ten times this season and was named the NAIA National Setter of the Week on Nov. 1. 

Athen, who earned first-team all-NSAA and all-Region honors for the fourth-straight year, led the Bruins with 382 kills and 432 digs and was second behind Galas with 31 service aces. She recorded 15 double-doubles on the season and was named the NSAA Attacker of the Week on Sept. 12. Athen recorded a season-high 20 kills on .487 hitting while adding 17 digs in BU's five-set win over No. 6-ranked Dakota Wesleyan on Sept. 1. 

Earlier this season, Athen became Bellevue's all-time leader in career kills. She finished her career with 1,886 kills, 1,735 digs, and 122 service aces.  

Apel led the NSAA this season with a .303 hitting percentage and 1.31 blocks per set to garner first-team all-NSAA honors. She was named to the second team in 2020-21.

Apel was named the NSAA Attacker of the Week on Oct. 3 after averaging 3.38 kills per set and a .396 hitting efficiency, along with 2.13 blocks per set in road wins over Dickinson State and Valley City State. 

Apel led the Bruins with 164 total blocks and was second with 320 kills. She ranked third nationally in total blocks and fifth in blocks per set. 

The Bruins finished the 2022 season with a 28-8 overall record and a No. 14 national ranking, advancing to the NAIA National Tournament for the 15th time in school history. BU shared the NSAA regular-season title with Viterbo after recording a 13-1 conference ledger. The Bruins placed second at the NSAA Post-Season Tournament.