OGDEN, Utah – Senior Janae Vander Ploeg has recorded one of the single great seasons in school history this fall, and on Wednesday she became just the third Lumberjack to ever be crowned the Big Sky Conference's Most Valuable Player. Vander Ploeg headlined the 2015 All-Big Sky Conference teams and was one of four Northern Arizona volleyball players to be recognized in a vote by the league head coaches.

Vander Ploeg was one of a school record three players named to the All-Big Sky First Team, as she was joined by senior Payton Bock and junior Jensen Barton. Vander Ploeg is the first player in school history to earn three First Team honors, and just the 12th player in league history to achieve the feat. Idaho State's Tressa Lyman also accomplished the feat this season. Vander Ploeg also joins 2014 graduate Sydney Kemper as the only two players in school history to earn all-conference awards each of their four seasons.

Bock earned her second career First Team honor, and is the only player aside from Vander Ploeg to receive multiple All-Big Sky First Team awards. Barton's First Team selection is her first, and second overall of her career after being named to the Second Team last season. Junior Lauren Jacobsen brought NAU's all-conference total to four as she picked up her first career selection on the Second Team.

"Our team gets contributions from so many really important players," said head coach Ken Murphy. "It's an honor that the league coaches have singled out a handful of them to represent our team, and recognized all of their contributions they've made to our team success."

Vander Ploeg is the first Lumberjack to be selected as the league's top player since Maggie Barrera in 2000. Jenny Treglown was NAU's first Big Sky MVP in 1997. This season, Vander Ploeg has led the conference in kills and points throughout the entire year. Entering the conference tournament, which starts tomorrow in the Rolle Activity Center, she is averaging 4.71 kills per set overall and 4.92 per set in conference play. Vander Ploeg broke NAU's career kills record last month and has 513 this season alone, 11 shy of the single season record.

Vander Ploeg has excelled in all facets of the game, recording 15 double-doubles to tie for the league lead. She has hit a tremendous percentage all season, currently at .280, and is second on the team in service aces (36) and solo blocks (16) and third in digs (315). This week, she ranks in the top 10 nationally in kills, points and attacks.

Bock has not only been one of the top middle blockers in the conference all season long, but also among the nation's elite as a senior. Currently leading the nation with a school-record 163 blocks, Bock ranks third in the conference – and 13th nationally – with 1.50 per set. This season alone, she has broken career school records for block assists and total blocks, while also providing an efficient attack from the middle. She ranks third on the team in kills with 216 at 1.98 per set and is hitting a team-high .297.

Barton has done more than just set the Big Sky's second-leading attack at a .263 team hitting percentage this season, proving she is one of the most well-rounded setters in the conference. In addition to ranking fourth in the conference in assists at 10.38 per set, Barton is deadly on the second touch averaging 1.09 kills per set on a .316 clip. She has recorded eight double-doubles, averaging 2.22 digs per set and is tied for second on the team with 90 blocks. In conference play, she has amped up her service game with 23 of her 27 aces for the season, which ranks second only to Jacobsen in the conference.

Jacobsen leads the Big Sky with 43 service aces – 25th nationally – and 0.39 aces per set. On the outside, she has been a consistent force all season long teaming with Vander Ploeg to form one of the conference's most dangerous outside hitter tandems. Jacobsen has recorded a career-high 346 kills this season, 3.17 per set, which ranks second on the team. Jacobsen also ranks behind Vander Ploeg on the team in double-doubles with 13 and is second with 316 digs and 2.90 per set.

The Lumberjacks and Idaho State were tied with a Big Sky-best three players on the all-conference first team. NAU, Idaho State and Sacramento State each had a high of four players honored overall on the first and second teams.

NAU opens the Big Sky Championship on Thursday night at 7 p.m. in the Rolle Activity Center. The No. 1 overall seed Lumberjacks will face No. 8 seed Southern Utah. Tickets for the conference tournament can be purchased online at this LINK, or by calling 928-523-5661.