Many of the mid-majors announced their players of the year last week before their respective conference tournament, so we have both those and players of the week in this roundup.
ACC
Player of the week: Pittsburgh sophomore setter Kamalani Akeo
Freshman: Pittsburgh right side Nika Markovic
Worth noting: Akeo averaged 12.43 assists and 2.14 digs per set, while her teammate hit .343 in two matches while averaging 4.39 kills and 3.29 digs.
The complete ACC release
Big 12
Offensive: Texas junior right outside Ebony Nwanebu
Co-Defensive: Iowa freshman libero Hali Hillegas
Co-Defensive: Kansas senior middle blocker Tayler Soucie
Freshman: Texas outside Micaya White
Worth noting: Nwanebu hit .585 for the week. Hillegas, last week’s top freshman, averaged 6.60 digs. Soucie had 16 blocks in two matches and has had five or more blocks in five consecutive matches. White hit .349, had eight blocks and had 25 kills and 16 digs in two victories.
The complete Big 12 release
Big Ten
Player of the week: Wisconsin freshman outside hitter Molly Haggerty
Defensive: Illinois sophomore middle blocker Ali Bastianelli
Setter: Wisconsin senior Lauren Carlini
Freshman: Haggerty
Worth noting: Haggerty averaged 5.1 kills and hit .373 and had 20 digs in two matches. Bastianelli averaged 3.0 blocks, while Carlini averaged 13.7 assists as she earned the setter award for the 11th time.
The complete Big Ten release
Pac-12
Offensive: Stanford freshman outside Kathryn Plummer
Defensive: UCLA senior libero Taylor Formico
Freshman: Plummer
Worth noting: Plummer averaged 4.67 kills, hit .333 and had 2.83 digs and half a block in two road wins. Formico averaged 6.0 digs.
The complete Pac-12 release
Southeastern Conference
Player of the week: Kentucky freshman outside Leah Edmond
Offensive: Missouri junior outside Melanie Crow
Defensive: Missouri sophomore middle Alyssa Munlyn
Setter: Kentucky sophomore Olivia Dailey
Freshman: Edmond
Worth noting: Edmond is the freshman for the second straight week, but as the POW she had 39 kills in two victories and had 10 digs and five blocks in those matches. Dailey, too, went back to back, as she averaged 14.0 assists. Crow averaged 4.67 kills and 1.67 digs, while Munlyn averaged 1.44 blocks.
The complete SEC release
America East
Player of the year: New Hampshire senior middle Demi Muses
Defensive specialist: UMBC sophomore libero Kristin Watson
Setter: New Hampshire senior Keelin Severtson
Rookie: Binghamton outside Lauren Kornmann
Coach: Glenn Kiriyams of Binghamton
Worth noting: Muses won it in 2015, too, as UNH won the honor for the fourth straight year. She leads the league in kills (3.61 per set) and is fifth in hitting (.313) and digs I3.98. Watson led the league with 5.56 digs per set. Severtson won for the second straight year after leading the league with 11.36 assists per set. Kornmann led all freshmen with 3.5 kills in AE play.
The complete America East release
American Athletic
Offensive: Cincinnati sophomore right side Jordan Thompson
Defensive: Memphis sophomore libero Mady Ruhlman
Worth noting: Thompson averaged 4.83 kills and hit .359 in two matches, while Ruhlman averaged 5.62 digs, including 31 against Tulsa.
The complete AAC release
Atlantic Sun
Player of the year: Lipscomb sophomore outside Carlyle Nusbaum
Defensive: Kennesaw State junior libero Katrina Morton
Freshman: North Florida outside hitter Gabby O’Connell
Worth noting: Nusbaum led the league with 4.55 kills per set. Morton led the league with 5.09 digs per set, while O’Connell led all freshmen in the league with 376 kills.
The complete ASUN release
Atlantic 10
Player of the year: Saint Louis senior outside Danielle Rygelski
Libero: Dayton sophomore Margo Wolf
Rookie: Fordham outside hitter Olivia Fairchild
Coach: Tim Horsmon, Dayton
Worth noting: Rygelski, who led the nation in kills at 5.97 per set, won the weekly award seven times this season. Wolf led the league in digs with 5.12, while Fairchild set a school freshman record with 4.30 kills per set.
The complete A-10 release
Big East
Player of the week: Seton Hall senior libero Tessa Fournier
Freshman: Villanova libero Regan Lough
Worth noting: Fournier had 22 digs in three sets against St. John’s to go with three assists and an ace. Lough won for the third time as she had 60 digs in two matches.
The complete Big East release
Big South
Player of the year: Radford junior outside Maddie Palmer
Freshman: Liberty outside Leah Clayton
Coach: Marci Jenkins, Radford
Worth noting: Palmer, POW six times, led the league with 447 kills and 43 aces. Clayton had 320 kills and was freshman of the week three times. Jenkins won the award for the third time in four seasons.
The complete Big South release
Big Sky
No honors to post this week from the Big Sky.
Big West
Player of the week: Hawai’i senior right side Nikki Taylor
Defensive: Long Beach State freshman libero Hailey Harward
Freshman: Hawai’i setter Norene Iosia
Worth noting: Taylor won the honor for the 10th time as averaged 5.29 kills, 2.57 digs, 1.14 aces and 0.57 blocks in two matches. Harward averaged 6.17 digs in two matches, while Iosia averaged 10.57 assists and 3.57 digs to go back to back on the honor.
The complete Big West release
Colonial Athletic Association
Player of the year: James Madison senior outside Janey Goodman
Setter: Northeastern junior Kristen Walding
Defensive specialist: James Madison junior libero Taylor Austin
Rookie: Hofstra freshman right side Laura Masciullo
Coach: Ken Nichols, Northeastern
Worth noting: Goodman has 503 kills this season and led the league with 4.66 per set. Walding averaged 9.78 assists and 2.41 digs. Masciullo averaged 3.37 kills and had 30 aces. Austin averaged six digs. Nichols also won the award in 2008.
The complete Colonial release
Conference USA
Player of the year: WKU junior outside Alyssa Cavanaugh
Libero: Marshall senior Allie Kellerman
Setter: WKU junior Jessica Lucas
Freshman: Southern Miss outside Catherine Repsher
Coach: Travis Hudson, Western Kentucky
Worth noting: Cavanaugh’s .338 hitting percentage topped all NCAA volleyball players who had 900 or more attacks this season, Lucas averaged 11.49 assists, while Kellerman had 482 digs. Repsher had 100 blocks.
The complete C-USA release
Horizon League
Player of the year: Cleveland State senior outside hitter Grace Kauth
Offensive: Kauth
Defensive: Valparaiso senior libero Morganne Longoria
Setter: Cleveland State junior Gina Kilner
Co-Freshman: Milwaukee middle blocker Bridget Wallenberger
Co-Freshman: Cleveland State outside hitter Sara Skeens
Co-Coach: Chuck Voss, Cleveland State
Co-Coach: Sean Burdette, Green Bay
Worth noting: Kauth averaged 3.61 kills. Longoria, who doubled as libero-setter, averaged 5.23 digs.
The complete Horizon release
Ivy League
Player of the year: Princeton senior outside Cara Mattaliano
Defensive: Columbia senior libero Cassie Wes
Co-Rookie: Columbia freshman middle blocker Chichi Ikwuazom
Co-Rookie: Princeton right side Maggie O’Connell
Coach: Sabrina King, Princeton
Worth noting: Mattaliano led the league with 308 kills, 3.76 per set. Wes averaged 5.51 digs, while Ikwauzom led the Ivy with a .427 hitting percentage and 1.37 blocks per set. O’Connell hit .396 and was fourth in kills with 3.08.
The complete Ivy release
Metro Atlantic
Player of the year: Fairfield junior outside Skyler Day
Setter: Rider junior Veronica Koval
Co-Libero: Niagara junior libero Rylee Hunt
Co-Libero: Marist senior outside hitter Lexi Millington
Rookie: Marist freshman middle/right side Megan Fergus
Coach: Todd Kress, Fairfield
Worth noting: Day led the MAAC with 450 kills, 4.25 per set. Hunt averaged 4.62 digs, while Millington averaged 4.77 digs and and had 44 aces. Koval led the league with 48 aces and averaged 8.93 assists.
The complete MAAC release
Mid-American
MAC player of the year: NIU senior middle blocker Jenna Radtke
MAC setter of the year: Bowling Green freshman Isabelle Marciniak
MAC libero of the year: Bowling Green senior Madeline Garda
MAC freshman: Marciniak
Worth noting: Radtke was MAC West offensive POW five times this season. Garda was MAC East defensive POW five times.
The complete MAC release
Mid-Eastern
Player of the year: Howard junior outside hitter Khaila Donaldson
Co-Rookie: Bethune-Cookman freshman outside Alana Handy
Co-Rookie: Florida A&M freshman outside Nicole Abreu
Coach: Shaun Kupferberg, Howard
Worth noting: Donaldson led the league in kills with 3.99 per set. Handy was fifth with 3.34, while Abreu was sixth at 3.22.
The complete MEAC release
Missouri Valley
Player of the week: Wichita State sophomore outside Tabitha Brown
Defensive: UNI sophomore libero Kendyl Sorge
Freshman: Drake middle blocker Elle Tubbs
Worth noting: Brown averaged 4.17 kills in two road wins and hit .392. Sorge averaged 6.29 digs, while Tubbs had 17 blocks in two wins.
The complete Valley release
Mountain West
Nothing posted as we posted.
Northeast Conference
Player of the year: Sacred Heart senior right side Sarah Krufka
Setter: Bryant senior Vika Katzen
Libero: Sacred Heart senior Ana Gonzalez
Rookie: Central Connecticut freshman right side Morgan Woycik
Coach: Rob Machan, Sacred Heart
Worth noting: Krufka became the third player in NEC history to win back-to-back NEC POYs. She led the league with 3.81 kills per set. Katzen repeated as setter of the year, while Gonzalez averaged 3.77 digs per set, 4.36 in conference play. Woycik was rookie of the week three times this season.
The complete Northeast release
Ohio Valley
Player of the year: Murray State senior outside Scottie Ingram
Defensive: Murray State senior libero Ellie Lorenz
Setter: Austin Peay sophomore Kristen Stucker
Freshman: Eastern Kentucky setter Rachel Woody
Coach: Leah Johnson, SIUE
Worth noting: Ingram won the award for the third consecutive year. She led the league with 4.3 kills per set and was second on her team with 356 digs. Lorenz led the OVC with 5.30 digs per set. Stucker averaged 10.37 assists, while Woody averaged 6.67 assists and had 210 kills and 263 digs.
The complete OVC release
Patriot League
Player of the year: American sophomore outside hitter Aleksandra Kazala
Setter: Navy sophomore Patricia Mattlingly
Libero: Navy sophomore Sydney Shearn
Rookie: American freshman middle blocker Vela McBride
Coach: Barry Goldberg, American
Worth noting: Kazala hit .308 this season with 451 kills. Mattingly averaged 9.97 assists, while Shearn averaged 4.67 digs. McBride had 188 kills and 71 blocks. Her coach won the award for the sixth time.
The complete Patriot release
Southern Conference
Player of the year: ETSU senior outside hitter Briana Allmon
Libero of the year: UNCG sophomore Christina Gregory
Freshman: Wofford outside hitter Catie Cronister
Coach: Lindsey Devine, ETSU
Worth noting: Allmon averaged 4.26 kills per set, second in the league. Gregory led the SoCon with 5.23 digs. Cronister led all freshman with 3.79 digs per set.
The complete SoCon release
Southland Conference
Player of the year: Texas A&M Corpus Christi junior outside Brittany Gilpin
Setter: Texas A&M Corpus Christi junior Kristyn Nicholson
Freshman: Stephen F. Austin setter Ann Hollas
Newcomer: Texas A&M Corpus Christi sophomore middle Madison Fitzsimmons
Libero: Texas A&M Corpus Christi junior libero Kate Klepetka
Coach: Steve Greene, Texas A&M Corpus Christi
Worth noting: Gilpin had 353 kills and 266 digs and finished third in league __play averaging 3.73 kills per set while also ranking ninth in hitting at .326. Nicholson and Klepetka are repeat winners.
The complete Southland release
Southwestern
Player of the year: Alabama A&M senior outside Ashundria McNeal
Setter: Alabama State junior Justus Tuiolosega
Libero: Alabama State senior libero Jamie Coleman
Newcomer: Alabama State junior outside/right side Ni’yeshia Brown
Freshman: Alabama State outside hitter Bayle Bennett
Worth noting: McNeal won the award in 2015, too and led the league with 501 kills.
The complete SWAC release
Summit League
Player of the year: South Dakota senior outside hitter Audrey Reeg
Defensive: North Dakota State junior libero Mikaela Purnell
Setter: South Dakota junior Brittany Jessen
Freshman: South Dakota outside hitter Elizabeth Loschen
Coach: Leanne Williamson, South Dakota
Worth noting: Reeg was second in the league with 403 kills, 3.95 per set. Jessen went back to back with the award, while Loschen averaged 2.31 kills. Purnell averaged 5.61 digs.
The complete Summit release
Sun Belt
Player of the year: Coastal Carolina junior outside Leah Hardeman
Offensive: Arkansas State sophomore outside hitter Carlisa May
Defensive: Arkansas State senior libero Markie Schaedig
Setter: Arkansas State senior Mallory Warrington
Freshman: Arkansas State outside Kenzie Fields
Newcomer: Coastal Carolina senior outside Tahleia Bishop
Coach: Dave Rehr, Arkansas State
Worth noting: Hardeman was second in the league in kills at .371 per set. May led in kills with 403, 3.88 per set. Schaedig averaged 5.3 digs per set, while Washington was top setter for the second straight year. She was second in the NCAA with 11.93 assists. Rehr was also COY in the 2015.
The complete Sun Belt release
West Coast
Not posted as we posted.
Western Athletic
Player of the year: CSU Bakersfield senior outside Carol Grasso
Libero: NM State junior Ariadne Sierra
Setter: UMKC senior Kaylyn Brandt
Freshman: Seattle U outside Katarina Marinkovic
Coach: Sam Atoa, Utah Valley
Worth noting: Grasso led the league in kills with 4.47 per set, and aces, 0.87. Sierra averaged 4.65 digs, while Brandt averaged 11.17 assists. Marinkovic averaged 3.68 kills, fourth in the league.
The complete WAC release
