Augustana finished the 2017 season with an overall record of 14-15 and a mark of 3-5 in the CCIW. The Vikings' setbacks included six to teams ranked 17th or higher in the final AVCA Top 25 and another four to programs that received votes in the final poll.  Seniors Emily Westermeyer (Huntley HS, Huntley, Ill.) and Claire Martin (Mother McAuley HS, Orland Park, Ill.) were both named to the All-CCIW second team.
 
The season opened against some impressive competition at the Colorado College Tournament. Coach Kelly Bethke's squad dropped its first match versus an Ithaca outfit that would reach the national semifinals and finish the year 25-8 and ranked eighth in the nation. Berry—30-7 and an NCAA Regional finalist—also bested Coach Kelly Bethke's bunch. Augustana bounced back to sweep eventual NCAA qualifier Whittier 3-0 and then went five sets with a Colorado College bunch that would go on to a number one national ranking before finishing the season a 33-2 record and ranked fourth.
 
The Vikings defeated Coe 3-0 before going 1-2 at the Wisconsin-Whitewater Invite, where junior Taryn VanEarwage (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) earned all-tournament honors. On September 16, Augustana defeated Hamline (3-2) and the host Pioneers (3-0) to win the Wisconsin-Platteville Invite and the next weekend took down UW-Stout (3-2) and 17th-ranked UW-Stevens Point (3-1) at the CCIW/WIAC Crossover in Naperville, Illinois.
 
A 3-1 league win over Carroll preceded a six-match losing streak, but the Vikings bounced back to win five of their final six contests, including their CCIW finale against Wheaton (3-1) and two of three at the season-closing Pumpkin Bash. Westermeyer was named to the all-tournament team.
 
Statistical leaders for the Vikings this year included Westermeyer with 312 kills, an average of 3.00 per game which ranks 15th in school history. VanEarwage, sophomore Grace Bialobok (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Homewood, Ill.) and senior Maissie Musick (Camp Point Central HS, Camp Point, Ill.) were next with 216, 186 and 133 kills, respectively. Musick also delivered a team-best 36 service aces.
 
Bialobok's .198 attack percentage was best among season-long regulars, although sophomore Brooke Harmon (Lindbergh HS, St. Louis, Mo.) hit at a .207 rate after working her way into the regular rotation in early October.
 
Junior McKenzie Zambrano (Rock Island HS, Rock Island, Ill.) and sophomore Brooke Keegan (Hall HS, Ladd, Ill.) shared setting duties for most of the season. Zambrano led the Vikings with 510 assists (25th in school history) and Keegan chipped in with 365.
 
Defensively, Martin led the way with 512 digs—the 15th-highest total in school history. VanEarwage was next with 433—24th-best in a season at Augustana—followed by Zambrano (260) and Westermeyer (226). Bialobok led in blocks with 27 solo and 90 total. Musick was next with 17 solo, a team-high 67 assisted and 84 total.
  
2017 CCIW VOLLEYBALL STANDINGS

School	CCIW	Pct.	Overall	Pct.
Millikin	8-0	1.000	29-8	.784
Carthage	6-2	.750	27-9	.750
Illinois Wesleyan	6-2	.750	23-8	.742
Elmhurst	5-3	.625	10-19	.345
North Central	3-5	.375	12-7	.632
North Park	3-5	.375	16-14	.533
AUGUSTANA	3-5	.375	14-15	.483
Carroll	1-7	.125	11-20	.355
Wheaton	1-7	.125	4-21	.160

 
2017 CCIW TOURNAMENT in Decatur, Illinois
Semifinals—Friday, November 3
#2 Carthage def. #3 Illinois Wesleyan, 25-23, 30-28, 25-21
#1 Millikin def. #4 Elmhurst, 22-25, 25-15, 25-17, 25-17
Championship—Saturday, November 4
Carthage def. Millikin, 22-25, 19-25, 25-17, 25-23, 15-12
 
2017 AUGUSTANA VOLLEYBALL SUPERLATIVES
CCIW ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS: Emily Westermeyer, Claire Martin, 2nd team
ALL-TOURNAMENT SELECTIONS: Taryn VanEarwage, UW-Whitewater Invite; Emily Westermeyer, Pumpkin Bash
CCIW ACADEMIC ALL-CONFERENCE: Peyton Achs, Brooke Harmon, Brooke Keegan, Claire Martin, Sierra Rood, Jennifer Townsend, Emily Westermeyer
CCIW Player of the Week: None
CCIW STATISTICAL LEADERS – TEAM
Digs per set: 19.52
CCIW STATISTICAL TOP 5 – INDIVIDUAL
Digs per set: 4.90, Claire Martin, 4th
Service aces: 0.38, Maissie Musick, T-4th
Blocker per set: 0.84, Grace Bialobok, 5th
 
INDIVIDUAL TOP TEN LISTS
CAREER
Digs per set: 3.72, Claire Martin, 8th; 3.61, Taryn VanEarwage, 9th
 
TEAM AWARDS
Varsity MVP: Emily Westermeyer, Claire Martin, Grace Bialobok
Varsity Most Improved: Brooke Harmon
Varsity Augie Award: Maissie Musick
JV MVP: Kaylah Townsell
JV Most Improved: Laura Heuermann
JV Augie Award: Emma VanEssen, Madi Glatz