Fox Valley Lutheran senior Emma Nilson named 2023 North Eastern Conference Volleyball Player of the Year

By Paul Lecker
AppletonSportsPage.com

Fox Valley Lutheran senior middle blocker Emma Nilson was named Player of the Year and was one of six Foxes named to the 2023 All-North Eastern Conference Girls Volleyball Team.

Nilson, along with sophomore libero Riley Schmitz and senior outside hitter Annalise Patchett were all unanimous first-team selections for Fox Valley Lutheran, which won the North Eastern Conference title with a perfect 9-0 record.

Josie Peterson and Peyton Carlson of Waupaca, Aubrey Frey of Luxemburg-Casco, Amber Ott of Oconto Falls and Avery Lang of Freedom round out the seven first-team honorees.

The Foxes’ two setters, juniors Ava Patchett and Molly Bixby, were among the second-team selections. FVL senior outside hitter Brianna Stewart was an honorable mention pick.

Fox Valley Lutheran finished the season 36-7 overall and reached the WIAA Division 2 regional finals.

2023 All-North Eastern Conference Girls Volleyball Team
(*denotes unanimous selection)
First team: *Riley Schmitz, so., libero, Fox Valley Lutheran; *Josie Peterson, sr., setter, Waupaca; *Annalise Patchett, sr., outside hitter, Fox Valley Lutheran; *Emma Nilson, sr., middle blocker, Fox Valley Lutheran; *Aubrey Frey, fr., outside hitter, Luxemburg-Casco; *Amber Otto, jr., outside hitter, Oconto Falls; *Peyton Carlson, so., outside hitter, Waupaca; Avery Lang, jr., outside hitter, Freedom.
Second team: Brooke Gloudemans, sr., outside hitter, Little Chute; Payton Kaminski, sr., libero, Luxemburg-Casco; Lucy Ripley, fr., middle hitter, Oconto Falls; Kyndra Staidl, sr., libero, Oconto Falls; Ava Patchett, jr., setter, Fox Valley Lutheran; Molly Bixby, jr., setter, Fox Valley Lutheran; Alayna Deprez, so., setter, Luxemburg-Casco.
Honorable mention: Nicole Sasse, sr., setter, Clintonville; Audrey Baugnet, jr., setter, Denmark; Olivia Ullman, sr., middle blocker, Denmark; Brianna Stewart, so., outside hitter, Fox Valley Lutheran; Grace Graf, sr., right side hitter, Freedom; Eva Wall, jr., middle blocker, Freedom; Miranda Schmidt, sr., middle hitter, Luxemburg-Casco; Ella Vander Velden, jr., middle/outside hitter, Luxemburg-Casco; Jacinda Bennett, sr., Luxemburg-Casco; Wynn Erdman, sr., setter, Marinette; Kaia Leick, jr., libero, Wrightstown; Brynn Bousley, jr., middle hitter, Wrightstown; Ella Fandrey, jr., setter, Wrightstown.
Player of the Year: Emma Nilson, sr., Fox Valley Lutheran.