Sweeping every major postseason honor, the Colorado School of Mines volleyball team dominated the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference awards on Thursday.
Colorado School of Mines Athletics reported that Jenna McLaughlin, Kaiya Gilbert, and Jamie Magalei swept the conference’s top individual accolades while placing five players on the All-RMAC teams. Mines becomes the first program since at least 1995 to sweep every major award, and the only program to win all five distinctions since RMAC Setter of the Year was started in 2005.
A Double Crown for McLaughlin
McLaughlin cemented a 27-match resume by capturing both RMAC Player of the Year and RMAC Defensive Player of the Year. She is the first Oredigger to win the player honor since Danielle Johnson-Hazlewood in 2015 and only the second to claim the defensive award following Taryn Huber in 2016.
She posted 284 kills at 3.05 per set on a .392 hitting percentage alongside 140 total blocks. Nationally, McLaughlin ranks second in NCAA Division II in blocks per set at 1.51 and seventh in total blocks.
Freshman Excellence and Leadership
Gilbert earned both RMAC Setter of the Year and RMAC Freshman of the Year honors, steering the offense with 938 assists at 10.09 per set. She joins a long line of Orediggers to RMAC Setter of the Year, following in the footsteps of 2022 honoree Drew Stokes.
On the sideline, Magalei secured her third RMAC Coach of the Year award and her first since 2013. Under her guidance, the Orediggers carry a 24-3 overall record, a 12-2 conference mark, and a 17-match winning streak into the postseason.
| Award | Recipient | Key Statistics |
|---|---|---|
| Player & Defensive Player of the Year | Jenna McLaughlin | .392 hitting, 1.51 blocks per set (#2 in DII) |
| Setter & Freshman of the Year | Kaiya Gilbert | 938 total assists, 10.09 assists per set |
| Coach of the Year | Jamie Magalei | 24-3 overall record, 17-match win streak |
Alongside the major award winners, Francesca Nuzzo and Abbie O’Shay claimed Second-Team All-RMAC honors, while Naomi Romslo earned Honorable Mention recognition.
The Orediggers face third-seeded Colorado Mesa in the RMAC tournament semifinals on Friday at 7:30 p.m. on the campus of MSU Denver.
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