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Cyclones find plenty of success in 2022 season

Cyclones find plenty of success in 2022 season
Posted: Nov 30, 2022

The Cyclones returned to earning championships and competing at nationals in a successful 2022 season.

This winning team went 23-9 overall and 6-0 in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference. Of those wins, 19 were shutouts, including all three NJCAA Region IV playoff matches. They were crowned champs of both the conference and region, something they haven't done since 2013. The team had last won conference in 2019 and region in 2018. Their performance at the national tournament didn't play out how they wanted, but they still finished 13th overall.

"Although the team came up a bit short at nationals, the program finished as one of the best 16 NJCAA Division II volleyball programs in the country. Next season, the team hopes to build on the great foundation laid this year," said Head Coach Lauren Lorenz, who earned Conference and Region Coach of the Year in her seventh season leading the program.

All season, the Cyclones were nationally ranked anywhere from 14th to 19th, and they had a talented roster to help them reach that level.

Ava Porada (Lincoln-Way East) led the way as setter, earning NJCAA All-American honorable mention, All-Conference first team, All-Region team and Skyway Player of the Year. She was nationally ranked 19th in assists per set (8.96) and 24th for assists (995).

Brooklyn Condon (Lincoln-Way Central) and Ava Theoharis (Mother McAuley) also earned All-Region and All-Conference first team honors while Kaila Butvilas (Shepard) was named to the All-Conference first team. Returners Takiyah Clark (Rich Central) and Jaelyn Donald (Thornton Fractional South) earned nods to the All-Conference second team. Condon also was nationally ranked 29th for digs (592) and 26th for digs per set (5.38).

"As a young team with only two returning players in the starting lineup, we greatly exceeded expectations this season. The team qualified for nationals by winning the region championship for only the second time in the last nine years. Propelled by savvy setting and excellent ball control, the Cyclones worked into the top 25 and eventually top 15 rankings in the country," Lorenz said. "I'm happy with our performance."