WATERTOWN, Wis. -- The 2019 Sabercats Women's Volleyball Team continues to set a lofty standard for the future.

A 26-5 record. Undefeated at home. A second-place NCCAA national finish. Three All-American selections. Five all-region selections. One national player of the year award. A national award for character. Three coach of the year awards. These are just the by-product of the lofty standards that Coach Regina DeLozier and the team have for themselves, for each other, and for future teams that don the Blue and Gold - this is a program that produces excellence at all levels.

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Lofty Standards

This year saw the Sabercats boast a nine-game winning streak on two different occasions. Both were highlighted by a perfect 6-0 record on their home floor, and key wins during the season came with gutsy 3-2 wins over Wisconsin-Superior and Simpson in the final event of the regular season. The Sabercats had been gaining momentum and confidence throughout the season, and they approached NCCAA Regionals with conviction.

The conviction showed. The Sabercats needed just two wins to conquer the North, and they did so on their home floor without dropping a set.

With their sixth straight regional title to their name, the Sabercats approached NCCAA Nationals as the #2 seed but were upset in the first match of the tournament. After splitting their matches on the first day, the Sabercats were in a do-or-die situation against Geneva College, needing a straight-set win against the Pennsylvania powerhouse to go through to the national semifinal.

They swept Geneva.

On paper, it was the most improbable result of the season, especially given the context. But the group was locked in, ready to win, and they not only got the result they needed to advance but also won their pool on top of that.

Maranatha faced #5 Arlington Baptist in the NCCAA DII National Semifinal, and the Sabercats needed just four stets to accomplish the task. For the second straight year, the Sabercats would face the Bob Jones University Bruins in the national championship.

But for the second straight year, the Bruins took home the title.

It was a championship worthy of capping off two commendable seasons, as the Sabercats and Bruins battled to a four-set thriller inside of BJU's Davis Field House. But after it was all said and done, the Sabercats had their hearts broken at the hands of the Bruins for the second season in a row.

Despite the disappointing end to the season, there's no denying that the 2019 campaign was a standout showing for the Sabercats, who lose a core group of contributors moving forward. The standard is lofty, and the shoes will need to be filled.

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At a Glance

• Record: 25-6
• NCCAA Record: 9-2
• Home record: 6-0
• NCCAA National Finish: 2nd
• Notable:
  • Six seniors on the roster
  • Three NCCAA All-Americans (most of any institution)

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Awards

At Tuesday's Athletic Awards Assembly, the Sabercats announced their team awards. In addition to these honors, the student-athletes earned awards from the National Christian College Athletic Association.

A complete breakdown of the awards is listed below:

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For more on the program, visit their team page HERE.