SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman, Georgia Southern and Samford each placed three student-athletes on all-conference teams as the Southern Conference announced its 2012 all-conference and individual award winners on Wednesday.

South Division winner Georgia Southern earned three all-conference honors, two all-freshman honors and two individual honors. Senior setter Kate Van Dyke was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year, while she was joined on the all-conference first team by teammate Meredith Paskert. Senior Moriah Bellissimo was named second-team all-conference, while freshmen Alex Beecher and Crysten Curry were named to the all-freshman team. Van Dyke is the only player in SoCon history to be named first-team all-conference four consecutive years.

Georgia Southern head coach Chad Callihan was selected as the 2012 Coach of the Year. Callihan guided the Eagles to a 15-1 mark in SoCon play and a first-place finish in the South Division after being predicted to finish third in the preseason.

Furman’s Jo Wilks earned the Rayna Matea Taylor Award, which honors the Freshman of the Year, and was named to the all-freshman team. Wilks’ teammates Chandler Ambrester and Natalie Braun were named to the all-conference first team, while Furman’s Caroline Adams was named all-conference second team. Wilks led the conference in assists per game with 12.24 which ranks fourth nationally.

Rounding out the first-team selections were Samford’s Lauren Hutchinson and Michaela Reesor, along with College of Charleston’s Darcy Dorton.

Chattanooga’s Paula Passmore was honored as the Libero of the Year. The senior from Merritt Island, Fla., averaged 6.38 digs per set, which ranks second nationally, and was also named to the all-conference second team.

Along with Passmore, College of Charleston’s Sloane White, Davidson’s Caroline Brown, UNCG’s Karrian Chambers, and Samford’s Katie Murphy, were named to the all-conference second team.

College of Charleston’s Melissa Morello, Elon’s Megan Gravley and Ana Nicksic, and Chattanooga’s Briana Reid completed the all-freshman team.

The Southern Conference Volleyball Championship begins Saturday at Belk Arena on the campus of Davidson College in Davidson, N.C. The eight teams competing for the SoCon title are College of Charleston, Davidson, Elon, Furman, Georgia Southern, UNCG, Samford and Chattanooga. The championship match will be held Monday at 6 p.m. ET and broadcast live on ESPN3.

 

2011 SoCon Volleyball All-Conference Team

All-Conference First Team

Darcy Dorton, College of Charleston      RJr.      OH

Chandler Ambrester, Furman                  Sr.        OH

Natalie Braun, Furman                            Sr.        OH

Meredith Paskert, Georgia Southern       Sr.        OH

Kate Van Dyke, Georgia Southern          Sr.        S

Lauren Hutchinson, Samford                  Sr.        MB

Michaela Reesor, Samford                     So.       OH

All-Conference Second Team

Sloane White, College of Charleston      MB/RS  So.

Caroline Brown, Davidson                      OH       Jr.

Caroline Adams, Furman                        MB       Sr.

Moriah Bellissimo, Georgia Southern      OH       Sr.

Karrian Chambers, UNCG                       H/B       Jr.

Katie Murphy, Samford                          MB       Jr.

Paula Passmore, Chattanooga               L          Sr.

All-Freshman Team

Melissa Morello, College of Charleston   OH

Megan Gravley, Elon                             OH

Ana Nicksic, Elon                                  OH

Jo Wilks, Furman                                  S

Alex Beecher, Georgia Southern             L/DS

Crysten Curry, Georgia Southern            MB

Briana Reid, Chattanooga                      OH

Player of the Year

Kate Van Dyke, Georgia Southern, S, Sr.

Libero of the Year

Paula Passmore, Chattanooga, L, Sr.

Freshman of the Year

Jo Wilks, Furman, S

Coach of the Year

Chad Callihan, Georgia Southern