The Athletic Communications Office of Maranatha Baptist University wishes you a happy new year as we reflect on the top 10 memorable achievements during the 2016 calendar year:

#10: Boogher Bags AD3I Award

 Boogher marked her final season with authority, as the Shortstop broke two program records (RBIs, doubles) while leading the AD3I with a .448 batting average. This was the second year in the last three that Boogher led the AD3I at the plate, after recording a national-second-best .566 average in 2013-14.

Boogher finished her career with a .386 batting average (.455 on base percentage), 148 steals, 105 hits, 61 RBI, and 27 doubles. Boogher's batting average mark is the best four-year batting percentage of a Maranatha Softball player on record.*

#9: Women's Soccer Sets Shutout Record

The Sabercats Women's Soccer Team finished the 2016 season with an unprecedented streak of 584 minutes without conceding a goal. The run included six consecutive clean sheets, and the team did not lose a game in regulation from the first game of October until the end of the season. 

The Sabercats finished the season with a 6-7-3 record, which included an NCCAA record of 4-0-2 after the team tied twice at NCCAA Nationals, losing in penalty kick shootouts to finish fourth in the NCCAA.

#8: MBU Sweeps Inaugural North Region Player of the Year Honors

In the fall sports that support NCCAA Regional competition, the Sabercats took home all three of the Player of the Year awards for the NCCAA North Region.

Audrey Risma (WSOC) earned her third straight regional player of the year honor while Alison Renz(Vball) and Wira Wama (MSOC) took home their second and first accolades, respectively. 

#7: Baseball Ties Program Wins Record

The Sabercats showed promise in the 2016 season, as they tied the program record for wins in a season (nine from 1980) on the final day of the 2016 campaign with one win in the doubleheader with Martin Luther College. 

The team posted a 9-20 record on the season, which included a 6-6 record at home.

#6: MBU Lands 11 on NCCAA All-America Teams

The Sabercats represented MBU well in terms of NCCAA DII All-America selections in the 2016 calendar year, as 11 players earned a mention on the first, second, or third/honorable mention teams.

First-Team recipients included Hannah Anderson (WSOC), Katie Holbrook (WXC), Alexis Johnson (Vball), Alison Renz (Vball), Audrey Risma (WSOC), Amanda Walton (WSOC), and Wira Wama (MSOC).

Second-Team selections included Alison Hernandez (WSOC) and Ben Schulz (Fball), while Third Team/Honorable Mention honors went to Alexis Johnson (WBKB) and Trevor Schmidt (Fball).

For a cumulative history of NCCAA All-Americans from Maranatha, click here

#5: MBU Receives Two NCCAA Players of the Year 

Alison Renz (Volleyball) and Wira Wama (Men's Soccer) were both voted by the NCCAA selection committee as the Division II players of the year this season. Renz earned the honor for the second year in a row while Wama garnered the accolade for the first time.

The subsequent NCCAA First Team All-America honor for both of the athletes marked the third time they were recognized among the best players in the NCCAA DII.

The superlative honor was the first for a player in the Men's Soccer program while Renz represented the fourth for Maranatha Volleyball.

#4: Katie Holbrook Breaks 6K Record Twice in Three Weeks

Katie Holbrook finished her incomparable Women's Cross Country career by breaking her own 6K program record twice in a 15-day span. At the Brissman-Lundeen Invitational on Sept. 23, Holbrook cruised to a 24:20 finish, and proceeded that with a 24:13 encore at the Lucian Rosa Invitational hosted by Wisconsin-Parkside on Oct. 8. 

Holbrook also holds the fastest 5K time (19:21 at the 2014 Bethel Invite) in Maranatha Women's Cross Country history, and finishes her three-year career by taking home NCCAA All-America honors in each of her three seasons. 

#3: Game Plan 4 LIFE Recipients

Three MBU Athletes were named as the Game Plan 4 LIFE Character Award Recipients during the 2016 calendar year. 

The Game Plan 4 LIFE Award is given to the student-athlete that best embodies the four characteristics valued by the NCCAA: Love, Integrity, Faith, and Excellence. Dan Anderson (MSOC, 2015-16) was voted as the male national recipient in the spring of 2016 while Audrey Risma (WSOC) and Wira Wama (MSOC) were selected as the award recipients for their respective sports during the fall.

#2: Alison Renz Earns Player of the Year Trifecta

The Lake Mills native finished her distinguished career near the top of the MBU program record books with 1411 kills (4th all-time), a .328 attack percentage (4th all-time), and 412 total blocks (2nd all-time). Renz finished the 2016 season with her highest totals in each of those categories for each of her four seasons, and ranked second in the NCCAA DII in kills per set and blocks per set.

The Senior's standout finale earned her Player of the Year honors for the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA [NCCAA Student-Athletes]), the Association of Division III Independents (AD3I), and the NCCAA DII.

#1: Volleyball Sweeps Nationals Again

For the second straight year, the Sabercats Volleyball Team produced a memorable run at the NCCAA DII National Tournament, as they swept through all of their matches without dropping a single set.

The back-to-back title holders have now amassed 27 consecutive NCCAA wins, and have not lost a match in NCCAA competition since 2014.

The victory in 2015 was the first time in over 20 years that Maranatha had captured an NCCAA DII Volleyball Title. Prior to last year, the last banner that went to Maranatha Volleyball was when they won the championship in 1994.

*only documented information was counted when compiling the all-time records for all sports. If you find an error or omission, please contact the MBU Sports Information office at (920) 206-2379 and provide documentation to support proposed additions to the records.