SPRINGFIELD -- Missouri State's Emily Butters is a repeat selection to the all-Missouri Valley Conference First Team, while Amelia Flynn is a Second Team selection and is joined by Chloe Rear on the All-Freshman Team, it was announced Thursday at the league's annual pre-tournament awards ceremony at Hammons Student Center.

Butters leads the Bears and ranks third in the MVC with 5.02 digs per set on the year, including 5.16 in league matches. She has led the Bears 28 times, with at least 10 digs in 30 of 31 matches.

The senior libero from Richmond, Texas, owns nearly every digs record at Missouri State, with her 2,450 career digs placing her third in MVC and 20th in NCAA history. She also owns the season mark of 737 total digs and 5.80 per set from her All-American junior season, averages an MSU-record 4.82 per set for her career, and has MSU highs for career matches with 10 digs (126), 20 digs (51), and 30 digs (6). Additionally, Butters has played in every set of her career, ranking fourth MSU history with 508 total, and 10th in NCAA history for consecutive sets.

Flynn is in the midst of one of the best freshman seasons in MSU history, leading the Bears with 362 total kills and a 3.35 per set average. In league matches, Flynn averaged 3.59 kills and 2.92 digs per set while hitting .188, and has 11 double-doubles on the season. A four-time MVC Freshman of the Week, Flynn's kill total ranks third at MSU among freshmen behind only Vanessa Wouters (377) and Lily Johnson (495).

The outside hitter from Lake St. Louis, Mo., had at least 25 kills three times in MVC play, twice setting MSU's single-match freshman record for kills with a high of 27 on Nov. 10 at Drake. That match also represented the most kills in a four set match for any MSU player since 1998.

Rear is the third MSU freshman to record 1,000 assists in a season, averaging 12.07 per set in MVC matches, a figure that would rank third nationally if done over the full year. The Strafford, Mo., native owns the four highest assist totals by an MSU freshman since 2000, with a high of 60 on Nov. 16 vs. Valpo. Additionally, Rear twice led the Bears in both kills and assists in a match this season, something not done at Missouri State since 1992. The setter also averages 2.06 digs, 0.47 blocks and 0.88 kills per set on the year.

The Bears (17-14) are the fifth seed in this year's MVC Tournament, and begin play with No. 4 Valparaiso at 7:30 p.m. Thursday inside Hammons Student Center.

First Team
Erica Haslag, BU
Yavianliz Rosado, BU
Cathryn Cheek, DU
Courtney Pence, ILS
Kaylee Martin, ILS
Ali Line, ILS
Stef Jankiewicz, ILS
Emily Butters, MSU
Piper Thomas, UNI
Rachel Koop, UNI
Karlie Taylor, UNI
Brittany Anderson, VU

Second Team
Hannah Thompson, BU
Rachel Tam, UE
Amelia Flynn, MSU
Kate Busswitz,  UNI
Jaydlin Seehase, UNI
Katherine Carlson, VU

Freshman Team
Hannah Thompson, BU
Alondra Vazquez, UE
Madeline Williams, INS
Marissa Stockman, ILS
Amelia Flynn, MSU
Chloe Rear, MSU

Specialty Awards
Player of the Year: Piper Thomas, UNI
Setter of the Year: Stef Jankiewicz, Illinois State
Libero of the Year: Courtney Pence, Illinois State
Freshman of the Year: Hannah Thompson, Bradley
Coach of the Year:  Carol Price-Torok, Bradley