Ella Maiden named NAIA Second Team All-American

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (December 11, 2023) – Milligan University junior middle blocker Ella Maiden has been named to the 2023 NAIA Volleyball All-America Second Team, the association announced on Monday afternoon.

Maiden is the first Second Team All-American, the highest individual honor bestowed to a Milligan volleyball student-athlete in program history. She was tabbed as an NAIA All-America Honorable Mention last fall.

Maiden is a three-time All-Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) First Team selection, a two-time American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Northeast Region First Team pick, a two-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honoree and a member of the 2023 AAC All-Tournament Team.

One of the most prolific middle blocks in the nation, Maiden led the NAIA with 70 solo blocks, ranked 10th in the country with 1.25 blocks per set and 11th nationally with a .358 hitting percentage. She led the Buffs with 3.12 kills per set and led the AAC with 4.2 points per set. Maiden was one of four players in the nation to average at least one block and three kills per set in 2023. Maiden had 20 games with double-digit kills and 16 games with at least five total blocks.

Maiden was a key contributor to the Buffs' record-breaking 2023 season. Milligan finished with a 26-7 record and went 19-2 in AAC play to finish second in the conference standings and set the program record for conference winning percentage (.905). Milligan's 13 sweeps in AAC play set a single-season team record and recorded a 15-game winning streak, the longest in team history.