CLEVELAND – Western Michigan fifth-year libero Andelyn Simkins has been voted the Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, the league office announced on Wednesday. Simkins was joined on the All-MAC First Team by fifth-year setter Logan Case, and senior middle blocker Madison Merz was selected to the All-MAC Second Team.
 
A three-time MAC Defensive Player of the Week selection, Simkins became the second Bronco to repeat as the conference's Defensive Player of the Year, joining Caitlin Strimel, who won the award in 2007 and 2008. Simkins was also named to her second consecutive All-MAC First Team.
 
A native of Schoolcraft, Mich., Simkins posted double-digit digs in 16 of 18 conference matches to rank second in the league with 4.52 digs per set. Her defensive exploits helped WMU lead the conference in digs per set (15.82) and rank fourth in opposing hitting percentage (.189) in league play. She was also excellent in serve receive, posting a .941 reception percentage (286-of-304) in league matches and going without a reception error eight times in MAC play.
 
Case was named to the All-MAC First Team for the fifth consecutive season. A four-time MAC Setter of the Week honoree this fall, the Maineville, Ohio, native recorded 30 or more assists in 17 of 18 conference matches on the way to a league-best 11.74 assists per set. Her season average of 11.61 assists per set ranks second in NCAA Division I.
 
The fifth-year setter helped Western Michigan hit .300 or better five times in MAC play and over .400 twice. Case's distribution had the Broncos atop the league in assists per set (12.92), and third in both kills per set (13.46) and hitting percentage (.268). She also averaged 2.52 digs per set in league contests and registered five double-doubles against MAC foes.
 
Merz earned her first All-MAC accolade with her Second Team nod. The Cincinnati native averaged 2.48 kills per set and a team-leading 3.27 points per set in conference play. Her .387 hitting percentage was the second-highest among all qualified hitters in league action this season. She put down double-digit kills seven times in MAC play and had five or more kills while hitting .300 or better in eight conference tilts. The senior also led WMU with 50 total blocks and ranked eighth in league play with 1.04 blocks per set.
 
Western Michigan has earned the No. 4 seed for the Mid-American Conference Championship, which begins on Friday in Bowling Green, Ohio. The Broncos are set to battle No. 5 seed Buffalo in the quarterfinals, with first serve set for 4 pm on ESPN+.