CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. ? The Southern Conference announced today the 2007 Volleyball All-Conference selections from Chattanooga, Tenn., the site of the 2007 Volleyball Championship. The 12 all-league picks were selected by the league’s 11 volleyball coaches.
Appalachian State’s Brittany Zahn was named the Player of the Year by the coaches. The senior outside hitter led the league in kills, averaging 4.98 per game, and led the league with an individual match-high of 36 kills against UNC Greensboro. The Mountaineers’ head coach Matt Ginipro was tabbed the Coach of the Year by his pears after leading Appalachian State to the second-seed in this year’s tournament and an 18-13 record overall. His wins included an 11-match win streak late in the season.
Chattanooga’s Lara Newberry earned the Libero of the Year award. The junior led the league with 863 digs, averaging 7.07 per game, breaking the all-time UTC record for digs in a career. Newberry also leads the NCAA in digs per game. College of Charleston’s Cole Dawley earned the Rayna Taylor Freshman of the Year award. The outside hitter is ranked ninth in the league in digs, averaging 3.54 per game and played in all 29 of the Cougars’ matches this season.
Furman led the all-conference selections with four, two on each team. Nicole Palazzo and Chibuzo Aguocha were both tabbed first-team selections, the second for Palazzo and third for Aguocha. Courtney Stewardson and Allison West were both named to the second team with Stewardson earning her second all-conference nod.
College of Charleston had three players selected for all-conference. Charleston’s Tiffany Blum and Lindsey Kane both earned all-conference first-team honors. This is Blum’s fourth all-conference selection and Kane’s second. Annie Uthe earned her second all-conference selection, being named to the second team.
Appalachian State was represented with one selection to each team. Zahn earned her second all-conference selection with Dianna Thomas earning second-team all-conference honors. Chattanooga also had two selections, one on each team. Leslee Ball earned her first all-conference honor with Lara Newberry being named to the second-team, her first of her career. UNC Greenboro’s Kaitlyn Nortz rounds out the all-conference selections, earning her first with a second-team honor.
The 2007 volleyball championships get underway at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, November 16 from Chattanooga, Tenn.
FIRST TEAM
Brittany Zahn, Appalachian State
Tiffany Blum, College of Charleston
Lindsey Kane, College of Charleston
Chibuzo Aguocha, Furman
Nicole Palazzo, Furman
Leslee Ball, Chattanooga
SECOND TEAM
Dianna Thomas, Appalachian State
Annie Uthe, College of Charleston
Courtney Stewardson, Furman
Allison West, Furman
Kaitlyn Nortz, UNC Greensboro
Lara Newberry, Chattanooga
Player of the Year: Brittany Zahn, Appalachian State
Libero of the Year: Lara Newberry, Chattanooga
Rayna Taylor Freshman of the Year: Cole Dawley, College of Charleston
Coach of the Year: Matt Ginipro, Appalachian State