Cowgirl volleyball ended their season this weekend with a 23-7 record. Two Cowgirls were named to the All-Mountain West team. One Cowgirl was the Mountain West Freshman of the Year. (Photo via UW Athletics)

Cowgirl volleyball ended their season this weekend with a 23-7 record. Two Cowgirls were named to the All-Mountain West team. One Cowgirl was the Mountain West Freshman of the Year. (Photo via UW Athletics)

The Cowgirl volleyball season came to an abrupt end this weekend as they finished their season with a 23-7 record, good enough for third in the Mountain West. The Cowgirls posted a 13-5 record in conference play. They finished the season with a RPI of 44 including a defeat of the Big 10’s Ohio State Buckeyes.

When “Selection Sunday” for the volleyball tournament came out the Cowgirls were left out of the tournament bracket. The selection committee instead selected the 45, 46, 48, 49, 51, and 54 teams, including ten teams from the Big 10. Needless to say the Cowgirls, and coach Chad Calihan were disappointed with the exclusion from the tournament. The only Mountain West team selected to the tournament was the conference champion Colorado State Rams.

On a brighter note for the Cowgirls they capped off one of their most successful seasons in history.

Two Cowgirls were named to the All-Mountain West team. Junior middle blocker Laura Beach and junior outside hitter Kayla Slofkiss were the lone Cowgirls to receive the honors. Freshman Reed Copeland was named as the Mountain West’s freshman of the year. This is the second All-Mountain West selection for Laura Beach. Slofkiss finished the season with a team high of 306 kills and second on the team with 2.52 digs per set. Slofkiss recorded 14 double-doubles this season, second in the Mountain West. Laura Beach recorded 273 kills on the season and averaged 1.1 blocks per set. She had a .337 attacking percentage which was fifth best in Wyoming history.

For freshman Reed Copeland she had a season she’ll never forget. The freshman led the Cowgirls, the Mountain West, and the country in total blocks and blocks per set. She had 190 blocks which broke the Mountain West record for a freshman and third overall in Cowgirls history for total blocks in a season. Her effort of 13 blocks vs Fresno State also got her into the record books for most blocks in a match for a freshman. She recorded double digit blocks in six contests this year. She was fifth on the team with 138 kills.