Anchante Labeled as 2020-21 Female Student-Athlete of the Year
The Iowa Community College Athletic Conference announced Iowa Western Volleyball's Yadhira Anchante as the 2020-21 Female Student-Athlete of the Year.
A freshman setter from Lima, Peru, Anchante stepped onto the Reiver campus in January 2021. A highly talented recruit, she spent time in her native country training with the Peruvian National Volleyball team prior to her arrival.
Altered by COVID, the 2020 fall volleyball season shifted into the spring of 2021 which allowed Anchante the opportunity to compete right away. During the season, she completed one of the most decorated seasons in ICCAC Volleyball history. As the Reiver's top player, she helped lead Iowa Western to a regular season conference title which included a double-round robin schedule versus ICCAC Division I and a single-round robin against ICCAC Division II schools. The Reivers went 11-0 in conference play.
Anchante was named the ICCAC Division I Player of the Year heading into postseason play as one of the nation's top setters on one of the nation's best teams. The Reivers played their way to a Midwest-A District Championship, and ultimately to a NJCAA National Championship, their first since 2006.
Following their championship run, Anchante was named the NJCAA National Tournament MVP, a First Team NJCAA All-America selection and then, the NJCAA Division I Volleyball Player of the Year.
Statistically, she led the nation in assists per set at 10.95 and was ranked in the top ten with 887 total assists. She set up four Reiver hitters to have 148 or more kills this season, and placed two hitters in the top 30 of total kills (Iremnur Elmas 311, Maike Bertens 291).
In just one semester, Anchante made an immediate impact at Iowa Western on and off the court. Despite the challenges of learning a second language, she excelled in the classroom, earning a perfect 4.0 grade-point average and a pending First Team Academic All-Region recognition.
"What makes Yadhira so special is not only is she athletically gifted, but she's a great person and teammate," Iowa Western head volleyball coach Alicia Williams said. "There wasn't someone more positive on the floor than her. She had a way to make her teammates calm, which was crucial in our success this year."
"She took a chance on us, and we didn't even realize how good she was," Williams continued. "Coming in at semester is already difficult, but coming to a new country, a new school and having to start a season right away is something entirely different. On top of all the things a new student has to do, on top of running our team from the setter position, I was so impressed with Yadhira's ability to handle that."
Anchante is Iowa Western's first recipient of the ICCAC Female Student-Athlete of the Year award. Past winners include NIACC Basketball's Autam Mendez and DMACC Softball's Mia Ruther and Molly Jacobsen.
Nominations were received by the ICCAC Awards Committee, composed of select athletic directors from across the conference. Those nominations were then narrowed to a select three student-athletes that embodied the best characteristics that the ICCAC offers not just on the court or field, but also for what they accomplish in the classroom and contribute back to their school and community.
ICCAC Female Student-Athlete of the Year Winners:
2020-21 - Yadhira Anchante, Iowa Western
2019-20 - Autam Mendez, NIACC
2018-19 - Mia Ruther, DMACC
2017-18 - Molly Jacobsen, DMACC