By DONNY NADEAU
Saint Mary's Sports Information Director
 
WINONA, Minn. — It proved to be a memorable senior season for Saint Mary's University of Minnesota's Brandi Blattner (Eyota, Minn.), who closed out her final year in a Cardinal uniform leading the team with 364 kills — not to mention career highs in assists, aces, and digs.
 
It was just the final chapter in what has been a remarkable collegiate volleyball career for Blattner, whose on-court performance for the Cardinals has been nothing short of jaw-dropping.
 
Blattner may have closed the books on that final chapter of her playing career, but Monday afternoon, she began to write the epilogue.
 
The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced its post-season honors, and for the third straight year, Blattner was a member of the All-MIAC First Team.
 
Blattner started all 11 conference matches for the Cardinals, delivering 135 kills (3.29 kps), while adding two assists, six service aces and 123 digs.
 
The senior outside hitter appeared in all 27 matches this season, leading the entire MIAC in both kills (364) and kills-per-set (3.50). She also recorded 10 assists, 20 aces and 292 digs — all single-season career highs.
 
Blattner boasted five matches of 20 or more kills — posting 20 kills against St. Olaf on Oct. 24, while has also recording 21 kills three times, while delivering a season-high 22 kills vs. Lakeland on Sept. 9 — and closed out the year with 11 kill-dig double-doubles.
 
With her fourth kill against Saint Benedict on Sept. 28, Blattner became the 13^th player in program history with 1,000 career kills. She closed out her four-year career as a Cardinal with 1,164 kills, leaving her sitting 11^th in program history, while her 3.50 kills-per-set rank No. 4 all-time and her 3,440 total attack attempts are No. 6 on the Cardinals' all-time list.
 
Gustavus' Nora Holtan was named the MIAC Player of the Year, while teammate Brittany Luethmers was the conference's Defensive Player of the Year. Bethel's Hannah Wilhite earned MIAC Rookie of the Year honors, and Gustavus coach Rachelle Sheriden — who guided the Gusties to a perfect 11-0 conference season — was tabbed MIAC Coach of the Year.
 
The MIAC also announced the 12th annual All-MIAC Sportsmanship team for volleyball, which included the Cardinals' Lexi Barth (Byron, Minn.)