Carson-Newman's Mozgai, James earn All-SAC volleyball honors
ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Carson-Newman volleyball team placed two players on the 2010 All-South Atlantic Conference team, league officials announced Thursday.
ROCK HILL, S.C. – The Carson-Newman volleyball team placed two players on the 2010 All-South Atlantic Conference team, league officials announced Thursday.
Senior outside hitter Carly Mozgai (Greensboro, N.C.) was named to the first team, while junior middle hitter Nikki James (Cookeville, Tenn.) earned second team honors.
Mozgai, who has 417 kills on the season, leads the conference and is 12th in the nation with an average of 4.17 kills per set. James finished regular season play with 281 kills and 172 blocks and leads the nation with an average of 1.72 blocks per set.
"I am thrilled that two amazing young ladies would be recognized from our team," C-N head coach Shannon Mincey said. "We have so many quality players not only on our team but in our conference. Our conference has had alot of parity this year and there are so many strong teams and players.'
"I am pleased Carly and Nikki would be recognized. They each are captains for our team and lead on and off the court. They would both say that the group effort of their teammates aided them in obtaining this nice award. I coudn't be more pleased with the mindset of my team this year. They have overcome some adversity and pulled together to position themselves in the uppper part of a very strong conference."
Wingate University's Stormi Gale, who led the league in hitting percentage and helped the Bulldogs to a fourth straight undefeated season in conference play and fifth straight conference championship, was named SAC Volleyball Player of the Year for the second year in a row.
Wingate coach Shelton Collier was named Coach of the Year for the fourth year in a row, and shared the honor with Tusculum coach Michael Robinson, who guided the Pioneers to a second-place finish. Robinson wins for the first time in his career.
Tusculum College setter Ashley Sarmiento, who led the conference with 10.37 assists per set, was named the Freshman of the Year.
Anderson University senior outside hitter Jamie Lancaster received the Scholar-Athlete Award for volleyball.
Gale was one of three Wingate players named to the All-Conference team. Joining Gale on the first team is senior outside hitter Lauren Billo, who repeats as a first-team selection. Junior setter Liz Willis was named to the second team.
Tusculum had a league-high four on the All-Conference team. Sarmiento, the Freshman of the Year, is joined on the first team by sophomore middle blocker Alyssa Raterman, who was second in the league in hitting percentage, and freshman libero Caitlyn Dean, who led the conference in digs per set. Sophomore outside hitter Samantha Underwood was named to the second team.
Lincoln Memorial University placed three on the All-Conference team. Senior right-side hitter and setter Lauren Kiwacka was named to the first team, while senior outside hitter Ashley Knight and freshman right-side hitter Kaitlin Walton were named to the second team.
Anderson's Lancaster rounds out the first-team selections.
Catawba College sophomore right-side hitter Kaitlyn Whitmer, the 2009 Freshman of the Year, was named to the second team.
Mars Hill College freshman Maggie Murphy, who was second in the conference with 6.31 digs per set, was also named to the second team.
Newberry freshman outside hitter Samantha Parrish, who was third in the league in kills, rounds out the All-Conference second team.
Joining Sarmiento on the All-Freshman team are Walton, Parrish, Dean and Wingate middle blocker/outside hitter Anna Hilton and Wingate outside hitter Cory McGowan.
The All-Conference and All-Freshman teams are selected by the league's head coaches.
The conference awards will be presented Friday after the second of four quarterfinal matches during the opening day of the Food Lion SAC Volleyball Tournament. The tournament will be played at Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C.
Admission to the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Tournament is $5 per day for adults and $2 for college students and children 13 and under. Fans showing their Food Lion MVP card can save $1 off the adult admission price.
2010 SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS AND AWARD RECIPIENTS
First Team
Jamie Lancaster, Anderson
Carly Mozgai, Carson-Newman
Lauren Kiwacka, Lincoln Memorial
Caitlyn Dean, Tusculum (Libero)
Alyssa Raterman, Tusculum
Ashley Sarmiento, Tusculum
Lauren Billo, Wingate
Stormi Gale, Wingate
Second Team
Nikki James, Carson-Newman
Kaitlyn Whitmer, Catawba
Ashley Knight, Lincoln Memorial
Kaitlin Walton, Lincoln Memorial
Maggie Murphy, Mars Hill (Libero)
Samantha Parrish, Newberry
Samantha Underwood, Tusculum
Liz Willis, Wingate
ALL-FRESHMAN
Kaitlin Walton, Lincoln Memorial
Samantha Parrish, Newberry
Caitlyn Dean, Tusculum
Ashley Sarmiento, Tusculum
Anna Hilton, Wingate
Cory McGowan, Wingate
Player of the Year - Stormi Gale, Wingate
Freshman of the Year - Ashley Sarmiento, Tusculum
Coach of the Year - Shelton Collier, Wingate; Michael Robinson, Tusculum
Volleyball Scholar-Athlete - Jamie Lancaster, Anderson
STATISTICAL CHAMPIONS (through games of November 7)
Hitting Percentage - Stormi Gale, Wingate, .389
Kills Per Set - Carly Mozgai, Carson-Newman, 4.17
Assists Per Set - Ashley Sarmiento, Tusculum, 10.37
Blocks Per Set - Nikki James, Carson-Newman, 1.72
Service Aces Per Set - Nadia Andrade, Newberry, 0.44
Digs Per Set - Caitlyn Dean, Tusculum, 7.02
Team Hitting Percentage - Wingate, .276
Team Assists Per Game - Wingate, 13.94
Team Kills Per Game - Wingate, 14.87
Team Winning Percentage - Wingate, .962
Opponent Hitting Percentage - Wingate, .132
Team Blocks Per Game - Carson-Newman, 2.78
Team Service Aces Per Game - Newberry, 1.77
Digs Per Game - Tusculum, 19.66
