ECAC Announces 2016 Division III South Women's Volleyball All-Stars
DANBURY, Conn. - The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has announced its 2016 Division III South Women's Volleyball All-Star teams.
Salisbury University senior Katie Stouffer earned the Offensive Player of the Year honor, while Carnegie Mellon University senior Molly Higgins was awarded Defensive Player of the Year. Neumann University freshman Rachel Cray garnered the Rookie of the Year honor, and Johns Hopkins University Head Coach Tim Cole received Coach of the Year.
Stouffer was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III All-America Third Team as well as the All-Region North Team. The senior has also been named Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) Player of the Year, named First Team All-CAC for the fourth time in as many years and named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team for the third consecutive season. Stouffer registered 444 total kills while averaging a CAC-best 4.48 kills per set. Her 444 kills were enough to become the all-time leader for Salisbury sitting atop the record book with 1,747 career kills. Nationally, the senior is tied for 25th in kills while her average has her 12th overall.
Higgins was awarded by the AVCA as All-America Honorable Mention and All-North Region team. The senior led the University Athletic Association (UAA) with 651 digs and 5.38 digs per game. This is the second straight season she has claimed the top spot in both categories. Higgins' 43 service aces are top on the team and ranked fourth in the UAA. The Florida native concluded her career ranked second all-time on the digs list with 2,240. She registered her 1,000th career kill and her 2,000th career dig in the same match against Emory University Oct. 15.
Cray garnered the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSCA) Rookie of the Year honor. The freshman is the fifth player to earn the Rookie of the Year honor and the second in as many years. She played in all 33 contests during the regular season. Cray leads the CSAC with 919 assists, ranks third on her squad in total digs (312) and fourth in total blocks (33).
Cole received the Centennial Conference Coach of the Year honor after guiding the Blue Jays to a 20-9 season. The team earned its fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament and first since Cole took the helm in 2013. Johns Hopkins went undefeated in conference play for the first time since 2011 and the 20 wins ranks the most since 2012. Cole also led his team to their first NCAA tournament win.
2016 ECAC Division III South Women's Volleyball All-Star Team
Offensive Player of the Year
Katie Stouffer, Sr., Salisbury University
Defensive Player of the Year
Molly Higgins, Sr., Carnegie Mellon University
Rookie of the Year
Rachel Cray, Fr., Neumann University
Coach of the Year
Tim Cole, Johns Hopkins University
First Team
Jackie Gibbons, Sr., Carnegie Mellon University
Elizabeth Wuerstle, Jr., Johns Hopkins University
Dylana McKenzie, Sr., Bethany College
Annika Schwartz, Jr., Stevenson University
Katie Stouffer, Sr., Salisbury University
Emily Newton, Sr., Carnegie Mellon University
Allison Means, Sr., Washington & Jefferson College
Second Team
Greta Weidemoyer, Sr., Lebanon Valley College
Lexie Yoho, Jr., Westminster College
Kelly Guarino, Sr., Cabrini University
Rachel Hoffman, So., Neumann University
Ellie Ezekiel, Sr., Franklin & Marshall College
Rachel Cray, Fr., Neumann University
Deanna Bradbury, Jr., Stevenson University
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