OVERLAND PARK, Kan. --- The Association of Division III Independents (AD3I) has announced the All-Independent teams for the 2016 fall season, which consisted of an unprecedented 13 institutions that rostered the All-Independent candidates.

Twenty players from Maranatha Baptist University were named to the teams, and were selected by popular vote from all schools in the Association.

1st Team

• Katie Bender - Volleyball
• Katie Holbrook - Women's Cross Country
• Alexis Johnson - Volleyball
• Alison Renz* - Volleyball
• Audrey Risma - Women's Soccer
• Wira Wama - Men's Soccer

2nd Team

• Julia Gunst - Volleyball
• Alison Hernandez - Women's Soccer
• Kim Richerson - Women's Cross Country
• Sarah Vander Pluym - Women's Cross Country
• Caleb Walters - Men's Soccer

3rd Team

• Hannah Anderson - Women's Soccer
• Brett Cournoyer - Men's Soccer
• Austin DeAngelo - Men's Soccer
• Kelsey Johnson - Volleyball
• Josh Kruit - Men's Cross Country
• Hannah McCutcheon - Women's Soccer
• Cameron Rankin - Men's Cross Country
• Madeline Thompson - Volleyball
• Kurt Wagner - Men's Cross Country

*denotes Player of the Year honors

Cross Country had three runners from each team make the All-Independent list. Katie Holbrook was named to the first team as she finished her career as the fastest runner in MBU Women's Cross Country history. Holbrook broke her own 6K record twice this season, registering her best time of 24:13 at Wisconsin-Parkside's Lucian Rosa Invitational in October.

Kim Richerson and Sarah Vander Pluym join Holbrook by being named to the second team. Richerson PR'd for her career at NCCAA Nationals with a 5K of 21:09 while Vander Pluym registered a season-best 21:15 on the same day.

Three runners from the Men's Team were named as Third-Team selections. Josh Kruit (season PR of 29:23 at NCCAA Nationals), Cameron Rankin (season PR of 29:04 at the Oshkosh Open), and Kurt Wagner (29:24 season PR at the Oshkosh Open) all made the cut.

Men's Soccer was highlighted by Wira Wama, who finished his MBU career with 43 goals - good enough for second all-time in program history. Wama scored a "golden goal" overtime winner in the first round of NCCAA Regionals against Providence, and finishes his memorable career with his fourth-straight AD3I First Team selection.

Caleb Walters broke into the All-Independents as a second-team selection. Walters provided a creative midfield/forward presence and netted three goals while co-leading the team with five assists.

Brett Cournoyer (seven goals, four assists) and Austin DeAngelo (defensive... three assists) were named to the third team after their consistent performances this season. 

Women's Soccer saw four players selected to the AD3I All-Independents. Midfield mainstay Audrey Risma earned First-Team honors for the second year running after she has dictated the Sabercat attack yet again while notching a career-high six goals and six assists so far.

Risma is backed up by Alison Hernandez, whose productive midfield play often goes unnoticed. Hernandez earns All-AD3I status for the second consecutive year, and has notched six goals and two assists while playing side-by-side with Risma.

Making the third team was Hannah McCutcheon - who has provided four goals and an assist from the right wing - and Hannah Anderson, who has been credited with five of the Sabercats' wins - four of which were shutouts. Anderson has registered 68 saves on the year to date.

Volleyball led the way with six selections which included three first-team selections. A superlative note was that Alison Renz was named as the AD3I Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. Renz earned AD3I Player of the Month honors in September, and is on track to register her best kill tally of her noteworthy four-year tenure. Renz becomes the first Sabercat to be named the outright player of the year in back-to-back seasons.

Renz was backed up on the first team by Katie Bender, who has thus far led the defense with 426 digs/5.24 digs per set; and Alexis Johnson, whose versatility is noted in her 241 kills, 216 digs, and 49 blocks.

Also making the cut is Julia Gunst, who was a second-team selection with 558 assists; and third-team selections Madeline Thompson (185 kills, 40 blocks) and rookie Kelsey Johnson (123 kills, 189 digs).

For past AD3I Awards given to Sabercat athletes, click here

For more information on the AD3I, click here