Wayne State College senior middle hitter Taya Beller has been named to the 2024 D2CCA All-Central Region Volleyball Team announced Wednesday afternoon, earning First Team honors for a third straight season.  The award is voted on by college sports communicators in the Central Region. 
            A graduate of Humphrey High School, the 6-2 middle hitter led the Wildcats in most offensive categories this season.  She ranked second in the NSIC in kills per set (3.51), blocks (1.29) and points per set (4.52) and was third in hitting percentage at .349.  Beller was an All-NSIC First Team selection for a fourth straight season and had 24 matches with 10 or more kills, highlighted by a career-best 28 kills at Winona State (10/8/24).   She was voted NSIC Defensive Player of the Week once this season (9/14/24) and was voted Most Valuable Player of the season-opening Eckerd Classic and named to the Colorado Premier All-Tournament Team.
Beller also recorded at least two blocks in all but one match this season and finished her Wildcat career ranking fourth on the all-time kills list with 1,545 and second in career hitting percentage at .369.
            Already a two-time D2CCA All-America First Team selection, Beller now advances to this year's All-America ballot with her All-Central Region First Team selection.
            Wayne State ended the 2024 season with a record of 23-7 overall and third place in the NSIC with a 14-4 league mark.  The Wildcats are ranked 16^th in the AVCA/TARAFLEX Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll. 

2024 D2CCA Central Region Player of the Year
OH Kenzie Foley – St. Cloud State
 
2024 D2CCA First Team D2CCA Central All-Region Team
OH Kenzie Foley – St. Cloud State (!)
OH Addison Wimmer – Central Oklahoma
OH Lacy Mott – Southwestern Oklahoma State
MB Taya Beller – Wayne State (#)
MB Lily Kurz – Missouri Western
L/DS Alli Wiese – Nebraska-Kearney
S Teagan Starkey – Concordia-St. Paul (!)
 
2024 Second Team D2CCA Central All-Region Team
OH Emma Schmidt – Concordia St. Paul
OH D'Nari Mills – Southeastern Oklahoma State ($)
OH Weronika Wrzesinska – Emporia State
MB Mia Berg – Nebraska-Kearney
MB Ella Thompson – St. Cloud State
L/DS Abby Meister – Northern State
S Peyton Neff – Nebraska-Kearney
 
# Repeat First Team Selection from 2022 and 2023                                 ! First Team Selection from 2023
$ First Team Selection from 2023