2020 Prep Dig Michigan D4 Player & Coach of the Year

<p>Division 4 saw a lot of postseason chaos this year, but it ultimately led to its top program returning to championship form.</p> <p>A balanced division, D4 put on the best match of championship Saturday and the most unpredictable playoffs.</p> <p>In the end, one standout junior proved she has what it takes to be the best in the division.</p> <h4><strong>D4 Player of the Year: [player_tooltip player_id="24854" first="Brooke" last="Dzwik"], Jr. OH St. Philip</strong></h4> <p><img class="size-medium wp-image-128131 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/01/Brooke-Dzwik-2-215x300.jpg" alt="" width="215" height="300" />Dzwik was making her first appearance in Battle Creek and she didn’t disappoint.</p> <p>It was clear early on in the weekend that she was just a different caliber of player compared to her peers in Division 4.</p> <p>Dzwik is explosive and can finish points at a high rate from the front or back row. She also moves well defensively is a vocal leader on the court.</p> <p>In the 2020 season, Dzwik racked up a total of 616 kills, which included an eye-opening 67 over her two matches in Battle Creek. She also tallied 390 digs and 58 aces.</p> <p>There wasn’t a more dominant player at Kellogg Arena than Dzwik and that has to be exciting for the Tigers, who will have her back next season.</p> <p><strong>Other Considerations</strong></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="50300" first="Anna" last="Smith"], Sr. OH Mendon: </strong>Smith continued to be a dominant force in Division 4 throughout the season. The two-time state champion didn’t see her prep career end the way she would have liked, but she still had a career that will be hard to duplicate.</p> <p><strong>Katie Hopkins, Sr. S Oakland Christian: </strong>Hopkins ran the Oakland Christian offense and led the Lancers to a D4 finals appearance. She had nearly 700 assists while working with a lot of undersized hitters. Hopkins also had 194 digs with 60 aces. Her leadership on the floor was key during the final week of play when the Lancers were down to just eight total players.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="50291" first="Ashley" last="Nordmann"], Sr. OH Lansing Christian: </strong>Nordmann guided Lansing Christian to the D4 quarterfinals where they were edged in five sets by St. Philip. Nordmann was another player that just seemed a level above her peers. She brought plenty of power in her swings, but had the athleticism to excel in all areas of the game.</p> <h4><strong>D4 Coach of the Year: Brian Theut, Oakland Christian</strong></h4> <p><img class="size-medium wp-image-128132 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pd/uploads/2021/01/Brian-Theut-243x300.jpg" alt="" width="243" height="300" />It was a roller coaster season for most teams, but Oakland Christian had quite a few loops along the way.</p> <p>Theut got a late start with the Lancers and changed a lot from a team that had been together since 2018. While the players weren’t receptive at first, Theut eventually got everyone on board and it led to a strong postseason run.</p> <p>With the two-month layoff, the Lancers had seven players opt out of playing the final week, including three seniors. Undersized and inexperienced in many ways, the Lancers still came within a few points of winning the D4 state championship with just eight on the roster.</p> <p>Down two sets to St. Philip in the final, Theut and his Lancers dug deep and nearly completed an improbable comeback.</p> <p><strong>Other Considerations: </strong>Vicky Groat, St. Philip; Stacy Quiggin, Mesick; Steve Kedsch, Carney-Nadeau; Casey Hilts, Lansing Christian; Laurie Glass, Leland.</p>