The NMU Volleyball team’s season came to an end last week at the hands of Michigan Tech in the GLIAC tournament semi-finals, which also hypothetically knocked the Wildcats out of the NCAA Tournament conversation.

It was far from a failed season, however, with first-year head coach Mike Lozier bringing the Wildcats to a 21-8 record and several players earning GLIAC and NCAA accolades throughout the season.

Seniors Kayla Chosa and Madison Whitehead were named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II All-Midwest Region Team on Wednesday while Chosa also earned GLIAC Blocker of the Year accolades, posting 140 blocks and 33 solo blocks on the season. That mark helped make the Wildcats the top Division II blocking team in nation for most of the season.

Lozier commented in a press conference last week on some of the successes his team achieved throughout the season.

“There’s no question that we accomplished a lot,” he said. “We had four girls honored for all-conference awards, 21 wins on the season, and these seniors had never won a conference tournament match so beating Davenport was a huge accomplishment.”

Lozier also touched on the improvements the team made from before he showed up just a season ago. The 2016 Wildcats were just 17-14 overall with an 8-9 conference record.

“As a coach you just revert back to what a great season it was,” he said. “This team didn’t make the GLIAC tournament last year. They were not in a great place and in one year because of what they were willing to do we went from ninth to second and that’s a heck of an accomplishment.”

Despite the disappointing ending, Lozier doesn’t let that define the team or the season.

“It was a great year and I told them I couldn’t have asked for a better first season as a head coach with a better group of people.”