ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – Junior middle blocker Maria Claflin was among some of the best players from the region earning her first career First Team All-Central Region honor, as announced by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Thursday afternoon. Sophomore Hannah Wilhite was among the top-20 players from the central region being named to the Honorable Mention Team.

Claflin becomes the ninth Royal all-time to earn First Team All-Region honors as Bethel has now boasted four different student-athletes on the team since 2015. The Dayton, Minn. native and Champlin park graduate tallied a team-leading 359 kills averaging 3.55 kills per set which ranked third in the MIAC and seventh in the region. She was also second on the team with 79 blocks and 23 service aces. Against regionally ranked opponents she tallied 125 kills hitting .240 against the nine opponents, eight of which are in the NCAA Tournament. Claflin recently became a two-time All-MIAC honoree after tallying 138 kills against conference foes and hitting .259 in the 11-game span.

It is Wilhite's first All-Region Honorable Mention honor after she was named All-MIAC last week. The Louisville, Ky. native and sophomore setter/hitter played a big role for the Royals up front where she tallied a team-leading 702 assists and was third on the team in kills with 206. Wilhite was just one of two setters in the MIAC who averaged at least one kill and five assists per set. Against MIAC foes she averaged 6.32 assists per set. Wilhite had two triple doubles this year which was first in MIAC and second in the region.

Bethel concluded its season with a 17-11 overall record and 6-5 mark in the MIAC. The Royals appeared in its sixth consecutive MIAC Playoffs, the longest current active streak, and eighth in the last nine seasons.