KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Following its appearance in the national championship match, Northwestern has landed three NAIA All-Americans, with Zavyr Metzger being named the NAIA Defender of the Year.
Zavyr Metzger – First Team (Middle Hitter); NAIA Defender of the Year
Leading the NAIA in blocks per set (1.99) for the third consecutive season, Metzger broke her own single-season record for total blocks (251) and finishes her career in second in Northwestern history with 688 blocks. Metzger earns All-American honors for the second time in her career and lands on the first team for the first time.
“Zavyr had another outstanding year on the volleyball court. Her defensive presence at the net and ability to shut down opposing offenses were a major part of our success,” noted head coach Kyle Van Den Bosch. “Offensively, she took a big step forward this offseason and hit around .350 for the year. Zavyr will go down as one of the top blockers in NAIA history, averaging nearly 2.0 blocks per set, and we were fortunate to have a front-row seat to watch her compete. It is great to see Zavyr being honored as the National Defender of the year.”
Stella Winterfeld – First Team (Outside Hitter)
The 2025 GPAC Player of the Year, Winterfeld had a breakout season in her first year at outside hitter. The junior finished the year fifth in the NAIA in kills per set (4.41) and led the Raiders with 419 kills. It is her first All-American nod in her second season with the Raiders.
“Stella has a great ability to be a calming presence to the players around her along with being a fierce competitor. She scores with a variety of shots offensively along with being one of our primary passers,” Van Den Bosch added. “Stella also raised her level of play in the biggest matches and in the biggest moments. This is a well-deserved honor for Stella.”
Maddy Sampson – Third Team (Middle Hitter)
Sampson made an impact on both sides of the net this year, placing second on the team with 111 blocks and 237 kills. She improved her offensive numbers by over 100 kills and earned First Team All-GPAC accolades for the first time in her career. Sampson is a first-time All-American in her sophomore season.
“Maddy had quite a sophomore season for us. She attacks at such a high point of contact along with a ton of velocity which makes her really hard to handle for a defense,” Van Den Bosch commented.
She led the conference in kill efficiency and had some of her biggest matches in our most important matches. It is great seeing Maddy being honored as third team All-American.”
Joining Metzger as winners of the NAIA’s major awards were NAIA Player of the Year Eva Joldersma (Indiana Wesleyan), Setter of the Year Bella Thompson (Providence), Attacker of the Year Evelyn Rohrberg (Oklahoma Wesleyan), and Coach of the Year Candace Moats (Indiana Wesleyan).
