SPARTANBURG, S.C. – South Division winner College of Charleston led all schools with three all-conference players and six total selections as the Southern Conference announced its 2011 all-conference and individual award winners on Wednesday.
North Division winner Samford earned four all-conference selections with one individual honor. Junior Elizabeth Neisler was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year. Neisler, along with teammate Lauren Hutchinson were named to the all-conference first team. The 2010 Freshmen of the Year, Katie Murphy, was named second team all-conference while freshman Michaela Reesor was named to the all-freshmen team.
The Cougars’ Sloane White earned the Rayna Matea Taylor Award, which honors the Freshman of the Year, and was named to the second team all-conference and the all-freshmen team. Joining White on the all-conference team was Elyse Chubb and Sarah Havel, who were both named to the first team. Charleston outside hitter Lizzie Theesfeld also earned all-freshman recognition.
UNCG’s Kellie Orewiler was honored as the Libero of the Year. Orewiler averaged 4.91 digs per set, which ranks 58th nationally.
Completing the first team selections were Furman setter Kelly Kirby, Appalachian State middle blocker Alison Blasingame and Georgia Southern setter Kate Van Dyke.
Furman outside hitter Natalie Braun and middle blocker Caroline Adams, along with Appalachian State outsider hitter Anna Wagner and Georgia Southern outsider hitter Bethany Sanford rounded out the second team.
Joining Theesfeld, White and Reesor on the all-freshmen team were Elon’s Chanelle Smith and Kris Harris and Western Carolina’s Caitlin Piechota and Jordan Timmermann.
Western Carolina’s first-year head coach, Karen Glover, was selected as the 2011 Coach of the Year. Glover guided the Catamounts to an 8-8 mark in SoCon play and a third place finish in the North Division after being predicted to finish last in the preseason.
The Southern Conference Volleyball Championship begins Saturday at the Pete Hanna Center on the campus of Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. The eight teams competing for the SoCon title are Appalachian State, College of Charleston, Davidson, Elon, Furman, Georgia Southern, Samford and Western Carolina. The championship match will be held Monday at 6 p.m. CT and broadcast live on ESPN3.
2011 SoCon Volleyball All-Conference Team
All-Conference First Team
Alison Blasingame, Appalachian State Sr., MB
Elyse Chubb, College of Charleston Sr., MB
Sarah Havel, College of Charleston Sr., MB
Kelly Kirby, Furman Sr., RS/S
Kate Van Dyke, Georgia Southern Jr., S
Elizabeth Neisler, Samford Jr., OH
Lauren Hutchinson, Samford Jr., MB
All-Conference Second Team
Anna Wagner, Appalachian State Sr., OH
Sloane White, College of Charleston Fr., MB
Caroline Brown, Davidson So., OH
Natalie Braun, Furman Jr., OH
Caroline Adams, Furman Jr., MB
Bethany Sanford, Georgia Southern Sr., OH
Katie Murphy, Samford So., MB
All-Freshman Team
Lizzie Theesfeld, College of Charleston OH
Sloane White, College of Charleston MB
Kris Harris, Elon MB
Chanelle Smith, Elon OH
Michaela Reesor, Samford OH
Caitlin Piechota, Western Carolina OH
Jordan Timmermann, Western Carolina OH
Player of the Year
Elizabeth Neisler, Samford Jr., OH
Rayna Matea Taylor Award (Freshman of the Year)
Sloane White, College of Charleston MB
Libero of the Year
Kellie Orewiler, UNCG So.
Coach of the Year
Karen Glover, Western Carolina