Two Sandburg volleyball sophomores among the nation’s statistical leaders have been voted to the All-Region 4 Team.
Outside hitter Taylor Wagner was selected first-team all-region, and coaches voted Chargers libero Madeline Mooney to the second team.
A 5-foot-8 sophomore from Southeastern High School, Wagner has been an offensive force throughout her first season with Sandburg. She ranks fourth in NJCAA Division II with 528 kills and fifth with 1,378 total attacks. Wagner appeared in all 42 matches for the Chargers during the regular season, averaging 3.64 kills per set and posting a .239 hitting percentage.
Wagner put down a season-best 30 kills in the Chargers’ win Sept. 14 against Southwestern Illinois. She has three other matches this year in which she’s recorded at least 20 kills.
Mooney, a 5-3 product of Metamora High School, leads all NJCAA Division II players with 960 service receptions, is third with 856 digs and rates 12th nationally with 5.86 digs per set.
She set a career high with 49 digs in Sandburg’s Aug. 27 match at Sauk Valley. Mooney has recorded double-digit digs in 41 of 42 matches this season. In addition to her defensive prowess, Mooney also leads the Chargers this season with 61 aces.
For her career, Mooney has 1,624 digs across 83 matches and is believed to be the program’s all-time digs leader.
Wagner and Mooney will lead the Chargers into the postseason as they open the Region 4 Division II District B tournament with a quarterfinal match at 6 p.m. Wednesday at home against Highland.
***Courtesy of Carl Sandburg College***
