NEW ROCHELLE, NY - With the announcement of the MAAC Volleyball major awards winners and All-MAAC Teams this evening, freshman
Jamie Smith was named Rookie of the Year while junior
Claire Archibald earned a spot on the All-MAAC First Team.
Smith becomes the first Rookie of the Year in the Iona program since Rachelle Wilson was named Co-Rookie of the Year during the 2008 season. Meanwhile, Archibald is the first First Team honoree for the program since Catrina Warren in 2013.
Archibald earned her way on to the All-MAAC First Team with averages of 3.66 kills and 2.69 digs per set to go along with a total of 57 service aces and 35 blocks. The junior ranks second in the league in both kills per set and aces per set (0.47) while leading the conference with 4.30 points per set. Archibald owns four of the top-10 single-match kill marks on the season in the MAAC with the most of 26 coming against Quinnipiac (9/17). She also owns the most aces in a single-match this season with eight against Bucknell (8/26).
Throughout the season, Smith garnered six Rookie of the Week awards that included the most recent and last of the season on Tuesday, November 14. She ranks second on the Gaels with 2.51 kills and 1.69 assists per set in addition to 375.0 points on the year. Her 3.07 points per set ranked second among freshmen in the league as she added a total of 77 blocks on the season, tied for most on the Gaels. Her six MAAC Rookie of the Week honors tied the most in a single season in the conference since 2011. With the Rookie of the Year award, she also earns a spot on the All-Rookie Team.
Rounding out the major award winners, Skyler Day of Fairfield was named the Player of the Year while teammate Manuela Nicolini earned Setter of the Year and head coach Todd Kress was voted as the BSN Sports MAAC Coach of the Year. Rylee Hunt of Niagara was honored as the Libero of the Year.
As the No. 3 seed in the upcoming MAAC Volleyball Championship, the Maroon & Gold are set to face No. 6 Quinnipiac on Friday at 5:00 pm in quarterfinal action. The entire MAAC Volleyball Championship will be hosted on the campus of Fairfield University. For more information regarding the championship, please click
here.
Player of the Year: Skyler Day, Fairfield
Libero of the Year: Rylee Hunt, Niagara
Setter of the Year: Manuela Nicolini, Fairfield
Rookie of the Year: Jamie Smith, Iona
BSN Sports MAAC Coach of the Year: Todd Kress, Fairfield
| All-MAAC First Team |
| Name |
Position |
Institution |
| Skyler Day |
OH |
Fairfield |
| Manuela Nicolini |
S |
Fairfield |
| Claire Archibald |
OH |
Iona |
| Nikki DeSerpa |
OH |
Marist |
| Draik Banks |
MB/RS |
Niagara |
| Rylee Hunt |
L |
Niagara |
| Hailey Riede |
RS |
Rider |
| All-MAAC Second Team |
| Name |
Position |
Institution |
| Sara Wesley |
MB |
Canisius |
| Megan Theiller |
OH |
Fairfield |
| Kelsey Ediger |
OH |
Marist |
| Nicole Matheis |
OH |
Niagara |
| Natalie Alechko |
OH |
Quinnipiac |
| Veronica Koval |
S |
Rider |
| Sam Pethokoukis |
OH |
Siena |
| MAAC All-Rookie Team |
| Name |
Position |
Institution |
| Claire Leonard |
OH/MB |
Canisius |
| Luci Albertson |
MB |
Fairfield |
| Kaylie Butts |
MB |
Fairfield |
| Jamie Smith |
S |
Iona |
| Grace Hetterscheidt |
MB |
Niagara |
| Jaycie Roberts |
DS/OH |
Niagara |
| Dakota Jackson |
OH |
Siena |
