Four players from Wayne State College were named to the 2025 Academic All-District Volleyball Team selected by College Sports Communicators and announced Tuesday morning.  The group includes sophomore libero Anna Borner, sophomore middle hitter Chloe Hanel, junior middle hitter Laney Kathol and sophomore setter Molly Romano.  Criteria for the award includes the student-athlete must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, maintain a 3.50 grade point average or higher and compete in either 90 percent of matches played or start in at least 66 percent of contests played. Romano advanced to the All-American ballot with the CSC All-American team to be announced January 13.  
            Borner, a 5-4 sophomore libero from Waterloo (Douglas County West HS), carries a 3.90 grade point average majoring in general biology.  This season, she averaged a team-high 3.81 digs per set to rank 10^th in the NSIC.  Borner was second on the team in service aces with 34 and had 10 or more digs in 28 of 32 matches this season, highlighted by a season-high 31 digs in a 3-1 win over #15 Southwest Minnesota State October 18. 
            Hanel, a 6-0 sophomore middle hitter from Clarkson (Clarkson-Leigh HS), maintains a 3.58 grade point average majoring in pre-pharmacy.  On the court, Hanel was voted AVCA All-American Third Team, AVCA All-Central Region First Team and All-NSIC First Team after averaging 2.87 kills and 1.00 blocks per set.  She tied for the NSIC lead in solo blocks (33), was fifth in hitting percentage (.361), seventh in blocks and 15^th in points per set (3.61).  Hanel tied a single match school record with 13 blocks to go with 18 kills in a 3-2 win over #10 St. Cloud State October 11^th.  She was named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week (9/29/25) and NSIC Defensive Player of the Week (10/13/25) and was voted to the Colorado Premier and Thrasher Classic All-Tournament Teams to start the season.
            Kathol, a 6-1 junior middle hitter from Hartington (Cedar Catholic HS), has a 3.55 grade point average majoring in pre-veterinary science.  This season, she accounted for 1.19 kills and was second on the team in blocks with 73 averaging 0.66 per set.  Kathol had a season-high 12 kills with a .800 hitting percentage in Wayne State's first round NSIC Tournament win over Northern State November 18^th.  She had at least one block in 27 of 32 matches this year. 
            Romano, a 5-9 sophomore setter from Council Bluffs, Iowa (Abraham Lincoln HS), recorded a 3.58 grade point average majoring in physical therapy and sports medicine.  She was named AVCA All-American and Central Region Honorable Mention and All-NSIC First Team for the Wildcats this season after ranking fifth in the NSIC averaging 11.18 assists per set.  Romano also averaged 2.50 digs per set and was second on the team with 11 double-doubles this season.  She was a three-time NSIC Setter of the Week selection this year and had a career-best 63 set assists in a 3-1 win over Northern State in the NSIC Tournament First Round on November 18^th.  She also helped WSC post the third-best hitting percentage in the NSIC this season at .275. 
            Wayne State finished the 2025 season with a record of 27-5 overall and tied for first in the NSIC with a 19-1 league mark giving the Wildcats their third NSIC regular season title in the last four years.  The Wildcats were tied for 10th in the final AVCA/TARAFLEX Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll released Monday afternoon.