Grace Freiberger is the first-ever Rocket to earn MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Photo by: Ellen Holton
Grace Freiberger Named Defensive Player of the Year as Five Rockets Earn Postseason Honors
11/20/2025 11:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Freiberger becomes first player in program history to be named MAC Defensive Player of the Year
TOLEDO, Ohio – Five members of the University of Toledo women's volleyball team earned Mid-American Conference postseason honors, the conference office announced on Thursday.
Sophomore libero Grace Freiberger was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-MAC First Team honors. She is the first Rocket to earn Defensive Player of the Year accolades in program history. Olivia Heitkamp and Kelsey Smith were named to the All-MAC First Team while Sierra Pertzborn recorded All-MAC Second Team accolades. Jessica Costlow brought home MAC All-Freshman Team honors. The five total postseason honors is tied for the most in program history (2013).
Freiberger led the MAC in total digs (370) and digs per set (5.07) throughout conference play. The sophomore also fired off 27 total service aces during that time, averaging 0.37 per set to rank fifth in the MAC. Nationally, Freiberger ranks 13th in total digs (538) and is the first Rocket to record 40-plus digs since Kassie Kadera in 2008.
Smith totaled 728 assists and dished out 9.97 assists/set throughout league play, which ranked second and third in the conference, respectively. Smith is the only player in the country with 1,000 assists, 300 digs, 100 kill and 75 blocks. The senior poured in 69 kills and 21 service aces throughout MAC play. On the defensive side, Smith tallied 228 digs (3.12 digs/set) and 54 total blocks (0.74 blocks/set).
Heitkamp led the Rockets' offense in MAC play, totaling 225 kills and averaged 3.31 kills/set which ranked sixth in the league. The sophomore tallied 12 matches with double figure kills, including seven contests with 15 or more terminations. Throughout the season, Heitkamp has amassed over 300 total kills and is averaging 3.08 kills/set.
Pertzborn earned her second All-MAC accolade. The redshirt sophomore led Toledo's defense, totaling 79 blocks and averaging 1.14 blocks/set which ranked sixth in the league. Pertzborn also tallied 160 total kills, firing off 2.32 per set. At the service line, the middle block tallied 22 service aces and averaged 0.32 aces/set which was good for ninth in the MAC. Pertzborn totaled 128 blocks throughout the season which ranks top-40 nationally.
Costlow was named to the All-Freshman Team after recording 132 total kills throughout MAC play, averaging 1.81 kills/set. She chipped in 168 total digs, good for 2.30 digs/set, and led the team in service aces with 28 during league play. Costlow's 0.38 aces/set ranked fourth in the conference. Throughout the entire season, Costlow totaled 224 kills, firing off 1.95 kills/set, and 253 digs.
Costlow's selection to the All-Freshman Team marks the third-straight season that the Rockets had at least one player earning All-Freshman accolades (Grace Freiberger and Sierra Pertzborn, 2024 and Macy Hatkevich, 2023). Â
2025 MAC Volleyball All-MACÂ Teams & Specialty Award Winners
Coach of the Year:Â Kelli Miller Phillips, Ball State
Player of the Year:Â Carson Tyler, Ball State
Defensive Player of the Year:Â Grace Freiberger, Toledo
Freshman of the Year:Â Bailey Blair, Ohio
Setters of the Year:Â Lindsey Green and Reese Axness, Ball State
All-MAC First Team
Delaney Gash, Outside Hitter, Akron
Gwen Crull, Middle Blocker, Ball State
Sophie Ledbetter, Libero, Ball State
Carson Tyler, Outside Hitter, Ball State
Camryn Wise, Middle Blocker, Ball State
Jessica Andrews, Middle Blocker, Bowling Green
Avery Hobson, Outside Hitter, Bowling Green
Bailey Blair, Middle Blocker, Ohio
Emily Waddell, Middle Blocker, Ohio
Grace Freiberger, Libero, Toledo
Olivia Heitkamp, Outside Hitter, Toledo
Kelsey Smith, Setter, Toledo
Mary Clare Brusek, Middle Blocker, Western Michigan
Amanda Glanton, Middle Blocker, Western Michigan
Leah Richmond, Setter, Western Michigan
All-MAC Second Team
Martina Villani, Setter, Akron
Manoela Forlin, Outside Hitter, Buffalo
Emerson Matthews, Outside Hitter, Buffalo
Natalia Rejment, Outside Hitter, Central Michigan
Molly Creech, Outside Hitter, Miami
Gentry Warrick, Middle Blocker, Miami
Sierra Pertzborn, Middle Blocker, ToledoÂ
MAC All-Freshman TeamÂ
Lyndi Wolf, Middle Blocker, Akron
Reese Axness, Setter, Ball State
Emerson Matthews, Outside Hitter, Buffalo
Molly Creech, Outside Hitter, Miami
Bailey Blair, Middle Blocker, Ohio
Jessica Costlow, Outside Hitter, Toledo
Leah Richmond, Setter, Western Michigan
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Sophomore libero Grace Freiberger was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-MAC First Team honors. She is the first Rocket to earn Defensive Player of the Year accolades in program history. Olivia Heitkamp and Kelsey Smith were named to the All-MAC First Team while Sierra Pertzborn recorded All-MAC Second Team accolades. Jessica Costlow brought home MAC All-Freshman Team honors. The five total postseason honors is tied for the most in program history (2013).
Freiberger led the MAC in total digs (370) and digs per set (5.07) throughout conference play. The sophomore also fired off 27 total service aces during that time, averaging 0.37 per set to rank fifth in the MAC. Nationally, Freiberger ranks 13th in total digs (538) and is the first Rocket to record 40-plus digs since Kassie Kadera in 2008.
Smith totaled 728 assists and dished out 9.97 assists/set throughout league play, which ranked second and third in the conference, respectively. Smith is the only player in the country with 1,000 assists, 300 digs, 100 kill and 75 blocks. The senior poured in 69 kills and 21 service aces throughout MAC play. On the defensive side, Smith tallied 228 digs (3.12 digs/set) and 54 total blocks (0.74 blocks/set).
Heitkamp led the Rockets' offense in MAC play, totaling 225 kills and averaged 3.31 kills/set which ranked sixth in the league. The sophomore tallied 12 matches with double figure kills, including seven contests with 15 or more terminations. Throughout the season, Heitkamp has amassed over 300 total kills and is averaging 3.08 kills/set.
Pertzborn earned her second All-MAC accolade. The redshirt sophomore led Toledo's defense, totaling 79 blocks and averaging 1.14 blocks/set which ranked sixth in the league. Pertzborn also tallied 160 total kills, firing off 2.32 per set. At the service line, the middle block tallied 22 service aces and averaged 0.32 aces/set which was good for ninth in the MAC. Pertzborn totaled 128 blocks throughout the season which ranks top-40 nationally.
Costlow was named to the All-Freshman Team after recording 132 total kills throughout MAC play, averaging 1.81 kills/set. She chipped in 168 total digs, good for 2.30 digs/set, and led the team in service aces with 28 during league play. Costlow's 0.38 aces/set ranked fourth in the conference. Throughout the entire season, Costlow totaled 224 kills, firing off 1.95 kills/set, and 253 digs.
Costlow's selection to the All-Freshman Team marks the third-straight season that the Rockets had at least one player earning All-Freshman accolades (Grace Freiberger and Sierra Pertzborn, 2024 and Macy Hatkevich, 2023). Â
2025 MAC Volleyball All-MACÂ Teams & Specialty Award Winners
Coach of the Year:Â Kelli Miller Phillips, Ball State
Player of the Year:Â Carson Tyler, Ball State
Defensive Player of the Year:Â Grace Freiberger, Toledo
Freshman of the Year:Â Bailey Blair, Ohio
Setters of the Year:Â Lindsey Green and Reese Axness, Ball State
All-MAC First Team
Delaney Gash, Outside Hitter, Akron
Gwen Crull, Middle Blocker, Ball State
Sophie Ledbetter, Libero, Ball State
Carson Tyler, Outside Hitter, Ball State
Camryn Wise, Middle Blocker, Ball State
Jessica Andrews, Middle Blocker, Bowling Green
Avery Hobson, Outside Hitter, Bowling Green
Bailey Blair, Middle Blocker, Ohio
Emily Waddell, Middle Blocker, Ohio
Grace Freiberger, Libero, Toledo
Olivia Heitkamp, Outside Hitter, Toledo
Kelsey Smith, Setter, Toledo
Mary Clare Brusek, Middle Blocker, Western Michigan
Amanda Glanton, Middle Blocker, Western Michigan
Leah Richmond, Setter, Western Michigan
All-MAC Second Team
Martina Villani, Setter, Akron
Manoela Forlin, Outside Hitter, Buffalo
Emerson Matthews, Outside Hitter, Buffalo
Natalia Rejment, Outside Hitter, Central Michigan
Molly Creech, Outside Hitter, Miami
Gentry Warrick, Middle Blocker, Miami
Sierra Pertzborn, Middle Blocker, ToledoÂ
MAC All-Freshman TeamÂ
Lyndi Wolf, Middle Blocker, Akron
Reese Axness, Setter, Ball State
Emerson Matthews, Outside Hitter, Buffalo
Molly Creech, Outside Hitter, Miami
Bailey Blair, Middle Blocker, Ohio
Jessica Costlow, Outside Hitter, Toledo
Leah Richmond, Setter, Western Michigan
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Players Mentioned
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