Volleyball All-Conference Awards Announced
Michael Pierce
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Sun Conference announced the 2012 All-Conference volleyball team at the conference tournament banquet on Thursday evening. The All-Conference roster was voted on by the league head coaches and featured 16 student-athletes representing five schools.
First-year head coach Callaway Mefford of St. Thomas was named the 2012 Coach of the Year. She took over a program that finished 8-12 last year and missed the conference tournament, and turned things around to place third in the conference this year with a 15-6 overall record and an 8-2 mark in the league.
Player of the Year honors went to Embry-Riddle’s Jordan Holcomb. A senior outside hitter from New Smyrna Beach, Fla., she received five of the 10 Player of the Week awards handed out this season. Holcomb was named to four All-Tournament teams and was the MVP of two tournaments. Her 26 kills and 29 points against Grand View on Sept. 14 are both conference highs this year. She ranks in the top three in the conference in seven different categories, including kills, blocks and service aces, and her .264 hitting percentage leads the conference.
Holcomb’s teammate Hannah Gray garnered Libero of the Year recognition in her first year in the league. Stepping into the shoes of a 2-time Libero of the Year is never an easy task, but Gray did just that. A sophomore from Orange City, Fla., she leads the conference with 525 digs and ranks 32nd in the country with 5.2 digs per set. Her 35 digs at Warner on October 13 are the fourth-most digs in a match in The Sun Conference this season.
Embry-Riddle senior Adriana Vazquez was named the Setter of the Year for an unprecedented fourth consecutive season. The Orlando, Fla. native broke ERAU’s all-time assists record earlier this year and she is closing in on 5,000 career assists. Her 1,166 assists this season lead the conference.
St. Thomas freshman Taylor Allgeier was named the league’s Newcomer of the Year. Allgeier made an immediate impact as a freshman, leading her team in kills, hitting percentage, and points. In fact, she leads the conference and ranks sixth in the nation in kills per set with an average of 4.3. Her .249 hitting percentage is tied for the second-best in the conference and her 308 kills rank third in the league.
Warner’s Jenni Cook was selected as the 2012 Champion of Character Award winner. A senior outside hitter for the Royals, Cook has racked up 246 kills on the season. Described by Head Coach Chrissy Moskovits as a prime example of perseverance and a player who exemplifies all of the Champion of Character qualities. Cook has also compiled 331 digs and 34 service aces this season.
The 2012 Sun Conference tournament hosted by Embry-Riddle gets underway at 3 p.m. on Friday with No. 3 St. Thomas taking on No. 2 Webber International followed by No. 4 Warner against No. 1 Embry-Riddle at 5:30 p.m. The winners of the semifinals will meet in Saturday’s final at 2 p.m.
2012 All-Conference First Team
Jordan Holcomb, ERAU (Sr., OH, New Smyrna Beach, Fla.)
Taylor Allgeier, STU (Fr., OH, Louisville, Ky.)
Taylor Martin, ERAU (Sr., OH, Orange Park, Fla.)
Adriana Vazquez, ERAU (Sr., S, Orlando, Fla.)
Karimah Hay, WIU (Jr., OPP, Ronnert Park, Calif.)
Katie Lindstrom, WIU (Jr., S, Daytona Beach, Fla.)
Jenni Cook, WU (Sr., OH, Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Nicole McInnis, STU (Jr., OH, Miami Lakes, Fla.)
2012 All-Conference Second Team
Hannah Gray, ERAU (So., L, Orange City, Fla.)
Christi Limpert, SEU (Jr., MB, Monument, Colo.)
Tanner Garbutt, WIU (So., L, Orlando, Fla.)
Jarrah Garner, WU (Sr., L, Port St. Lucie, Fla.)
Kimberlee Thomas, WU (Sr., OH, Ocala, Fla.)
Chloe’ Boehm, WU (Jr., S, Arcadia, Fla.)
Emily Jacobson, ERAU (Jr., RS, Fresno, Calif.)
Shauna Brown, MB (Jr., MB, Lakewood, Colo.)
Champion of Character
Jenni Cook, WU (Sr., OH, Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Newcomer of the Year
Taylor Allgeier, STU (Fr., OH, Louisville, Ky.)
Libero of the Year
Hannah Gray, ERAU (So., L, Orange City, Fla.)
Setter of the Year
Adriana Vazquez, ERAU (Sr., Orlando, Fla.)
Player of the Year
Jordan Holcomb, ERAU (Sr., OH, New Smyrna Beach, Fla.)
Coach of the Year
Callaway Mefford, STU