ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – As a junior this season and one of just a handful of returners on the College of Saint Benedict volleyball team's roster, Gabby Heying knew she had a big role to play for the Bennies in 2021.
 
Heying stepped in as Saint Benedict's go-to hitter when the Bennies needed a kill this year – and she was usually able to deliver. As the MIAC Tournament gets under way this week, she is in the top eight in the league in total kills, and is also having a career year on defense.
 
Coaches around the league noticed Heying's contributions, and on Wednesday she earned the first All-MIAC honor of her career. Heying was one of 25 athletes from around the league named to the All-MIAC First Team, and senior libero Mary Wenisch earned a spot on the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team. Gustavus' Kate Holtan was named the 2021 MIAC Player of the Year, and teammate Hailey Embacher and St. Scholastica's Alcia Draper shared Defensive Player of the Year honors. Hamline's Jenna Rubbelke was named Rookie of the Year, and the Pipers' head coach Maggie Meixl was named MIAC Coach of the Year.
 
Heying's All-MIAC honor comes in a season where she finished as the team's leading hitter in all but two of the Bennies' matches. She recorded a career-high 24 kills in a five-set thriller against a ranked Hope team on Sept. 4, and recorded 15 or more kills seven times this season.
 
Heading into the MIAC Tournament, Heying is eighth in the league with 267 total kills, and is also third in the conference with an average 3.71 kills per set. She also has a career-best 165 digs, including a career-high 16 digs in CSB's four-set win at UW-River Falls on Sept. 25. She also has a career-high 20 service aces, and recorded four of those to help the team stay close against Hope. Heying surpassed the 500-kill milestone earlier this season.
 
Wenisch has a career-best 356 digs so far this season as the Bennies prepare for the MIAC Tournament. She has been the team's starting libero all season, and recorded a career-best 30 digs on Sept. 22 against Hamline. She is 10^th in the MIAC in total digs, third in digs per set and will graduate with more than 800 career digs.
 
The Bennies – who earned the No. 6 seed – start their 2021 MIAC Tournament run Wednesday, Nov. 3, when they head to St. Paul for a 7 p.m. match against Hamline.