Panther volleyball honored with AVCA All-Region awards for 2025 season

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced its annual all-region selections on Tuesday morning with three Panthers earning All-Central Region recognition , while head coach Bobbi Petersen was named the region’s Coach of the Year.

Outside hitter Cassidy Hartman was named to the All-Region Team, while fellow outside hitter Lily Dykstra and defensive specialist/libero Jadyn Petersen earned honorable mention status. The trio helped lead the Panthers to a 26-6 record overall, 16-0 mark in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play and the program’s fourth consecutive MVC regular season and tournament titles, as well as a run to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. This is Hartman’s second All-Region honor and the first for both Dykstra and Petersen.

UNI volleyball has produced 50 AVCA All-Region selections in program history, including 41 under Coach Petersen. This year also marks the sixth time in the last nine seasons, as well as the third year in a row the Panthers have had at least three all-region honorees (2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024, 2025).

CASSIDY HARTMAN – AVCA All-Region

The 2025 MVC Player of the Year and a First Team All-MVC selection, Hartman led the league with 4.64 kills per set, along with 2.74 digs per frame, 58 total blocks and 19 aces during her junior season. Starting all 32 matches during her junior season, Hartman recorded ten or more kills in 27 matches this season, as well as six matches with 20+ kills, including a career-high 26 terminations at Southern Illinois in the regular season. She also posted 14 double-double outings. A three-time MVC Player of the Week this season and a member of the Capital Credit Union Classic All-Tournament Team back in September, Hartman earned AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention honors in 2024.

LILY DYKSTRA – AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention

A First Team All-MVC selection, Dykstra ranked second on the Panther roster with four kills per set, along with 1.7 digs per frame, 21 service aces and 50 total blocks. The junior from Urbandale, Iowa notably notched a career-high 25 kills in UNI’s NCAA Tournament opener against Utah, one of four matches this season with 20+ kills recorded. Dykstra tallied at least eight terminations in all but two matches in 2025, as well as 19 matches with ten or more kills and the first two double-doubles of her career. She was named the MVC Player of the Week on Nov. 10 and was named to the all-tournament teams for the Bluejay Invitational and Capital Credit Union Classic in September.

JADYN PETERSEN – AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention

After redshirting the 2024 season, Petersen led Northern Iowa’s backrow defense with 4.31 digs per set and a team-high 26 aces after earning Second Team All-MVC honors this year. She recorded a career-high four aces against Washington back in September and also posted 27 digs against UIC in November. A two-time MVC Defensive Player of the Week award winner, she also posted a .957 reception percentage on the year.

BOBBI PETERSEN – Region Coach of the Year

Completing her 26th season at the helm of the Panther program, Petersen picks up her fifth AVCA Region Coach of the Year honor after earning her record tenth MVC Coach of the Year honor in 2025. Petersen helped lead UNI to its 22nd season under her leadership with 20+ wins, her 13th MVC regular season and tournament championships and third straight undefeated conference season. Additionally, she passed former Panther softball coach Meredith Bakely with her 633rd career win during the MVC Tournament, becoming the winningest women’s coach in UNI history for any sport.

2025 AVCA ALL-CENTRAL REGION AWARDS

• Player of the Year: Shaylee Myers (Kansas State)
• Freshman of the Year: Jovanna Zelenovic (Kansas)
• Coach of the Year: Bobbi Petersen (UNI)

2025 AVCA ALL-CENTRAL REGION FIRST TEAM

• Caylen Alexander (Missouri)
• Claire Ammeraal (Iowa)
• Daedrianna Cail (Arkansas State)
• Jill Hanson (Tulsa)
• Cassidy Hartman (UNI)
• Brayden Hipp (Tulsa)
• Ava LeGrand (Kansas State)
• Shaylee Myers (Kansas State)
• Reese Ptacek (Kansas)
• Jurnee Robinson (LSU)
• Maya Sands (Missouri)
• Alexis Shelton (Oklahoma)
• Rachel Van Gorp (Iowa State)
• Jovanna Zelenovic (Kansas)

2025 AVCA ALL-CENTRAL REGION HONORABLE MENTION

• Tyrah Ariail (Missouri)
• Morgan Brandt (Iowa State)
• Kelli Jo Burgess (Oklahoma)
• Lily Dykstra (UNI)
• Kyra McKelvey (Southeastern Louisiana)
• Jadyn Petersen (UNI)
• Rhian Swanson (Kansas)

UNI volleyball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Volleyball), X (@UNIVolleyball) and on Instagram (@univolleyball). The full 2025 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.