Aquinas Earns Second Straight WHAC Tournament Title

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - (Box Score) For the second consecutive season, Aquinas College Women's Volleyball has claimed the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) tournament title. The tournament championship is the second in a row and second all-time for the Saints. This marks the seventh-consecutive season the top seed has won the WHAC volleyball tournament. Both Aquinas and Cornerstone have earned a trip to the NAIA National Championship Opening Round. Opening round pairings and locations will be announced on Monday, Nov. 17 on the NAIA selection show at 5 p.m. ET. Selection show details can be found here. 

The Saints secured the title with a 3-0 sweep of Corerstone on Saturday afternoon inside the Sturrus Sports & Fitness Center. 

The championship encounter saw the Saints take control of the match early. In the first set, Aquinas set the tone, securing a commanding 25-13 victory. They maintained this momentum throughout the contest, winning the second and third sets 25-17 and 25-19, respectively, never giving the Golden Eagles a chance to settle into the game. Notably, Aquinas' consistent offensive threats combined with a stalwart defense ensured their dominance remained unchecked.

Cece Pelak and Lauren Chioini were pivotal in the attack for Aquinas, delivering 10 and 12 kills respectively. Nevaeh Bakker added a significant 7 kills to the tally. On the defensive end, Natalie West and Nevaeh Bakker each contributed 5 blocks, while Bella Hommes showcased her defensive prowess with an impressive 18 digs. These standout performances underpinned a strategic display that capitalized on Cornerstone's errors, translating defensive stops into offensive opportunities.

All-Time Tournament Champions and Seeds

1997:
1998: (1) Madonna
1999:
2000: (1) Madonna
2001: (2) Cornerstone
2002: (1) Madonna
2003: (2) Cornerstone
2004: (1) Madonna
2005: (1) Madonna
2006: (1) Madonna
2007: (1) Madonna
2008: (2) Madonna
2009: (1) Indiana Tech
2010: (1) Indiana Tech
2011: (1) Indiana Tech
2012: (1) Madonna
2013: (1) Madonna
2014: (1) Davenport
2015: (1) Lourdes
2016: (1) Lourdes
2017: (2) Cornerstone
2018: (2) Cornerstone
2019: (1) Lawrence Tech
2020: (1) Cornerstone
2021: (1) Madonna
2022: (1) Cornerstone
2023: (1) Indiana Tech 
2024: (1) Aquinas
2025: (1) Aquinas