We racked up...again!
UCA VOLLEYBALL DOMINATES SOUTHLAND AWARDSChloe Smith Named Southland Volleyball Player of the YearFRISCO, Texas - Central Arkansas senior Chloe Smith was named the 2010 Southland Conference Volleyball Player of the Year for the third time in her career by a vote of the league's head coaches and sports information directors, the conference office announced Wednesday in conjunction with the release of the all-conference volleyball teams.
Smith, a native of San Diego, Calif., is the first player in Southland history to be named the league's player of the year three times. A four-time all-conference selection, Smith is one of 12 players in conference history to be named first-team all-conference in three consecutive seasons. Smith ranks fourth in the league in kills (388), ninth in hitting percentage (.274), and recently became the all-time kills leader at Central Arkansas (1,644).
Central Arkansas led all teams with four all-conference selections and for the third consecutive season, UCA claimed four-of-the six individual postseason awards given by the Southland. Joining Smith on the awards list is Marissa Collins, who was selected freshman and setter of the year. UCA coach Steven McRoberts received coach of the year honors.
Collins joined Smith in making league history as the first player to be named both the conference freshman and setter of the year. A native of Pearland, Texas, Collins was named first-team all-conference after leading the league in assists (1,291). She ranks 15th in the NCAA in assists per set (11.53). Collins is the fourth UCA freshman of the year selection in the last five years and is the third consecutive setter of the year recipient from UCA.
Steven McRoberts was named coach of the year after leading UCA to its second consecutive regular-season title and first No. 1 seed in the school's first Southland tournament. Central Arkansas posted a 26-7 overall record and went 15-1 against conference opponents. McRoberts is the first coach to receive league honors in three consecutive seasons since former UT Arlington coach Lisa Love won four straight (1984-87). UTSA junior Kelsey Jewasko was named libero of the year for the second time in the last three seasons. A two-time first-team all-conference selection, the San Antonio native recorded the most digs in the Southland since 2006 (631) and ranks 19th in the NCAA in digs per set (5.44).
Lamar sophomore Christina Hobbs was named newcomer of the year. A native of Humble, Texas, Hobbs is the fourth Lamar newcomer of the year selection and first since Shalayne Blythe (2007). Hobbs ranks 12th in the league in hitting percentage (.260) and has also contributed 199 kills, 67 blocks, including five solo and 32 digs.
Seven teams are represented on the all-conference first team. Central Arkansas and UTSA are tied with three first-team members. Texas State received two and Lamar, Sam Houston State, UT Arlington and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi each had one.
Junior Jessica Hays rounds out the Central Arkansas first-team selections. A native of Friendswood, Texas, Hays is the second UCA player in the last two years to lead the league in kills (434). Her 69 service aces are the most in the Southland since 2001 and rank fourth in the NCAA in aces per set (0.62).
Joining Jewasko from UTSA on the first team are teammates junior Kendra Rowland and sophomore Kelsey Schwirtlich. Rowland, a native of Antioch, Calif., makes her third career all-conference appearance. Rowland ranks fifth in the league in kills (361) and sixth in kills per set (3.17). Schwirtlich, a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, ranks third in assists per set (9.78) and is one-of-six league players with more than 1,000 assists this season (1,066) which ranks fourth.
Texas State received two first-team selections for the second consecutive season. Senior A.J. Watlington and freshman Amari Deardorff each make their first career first-team all-conference appearance. Watlington, a native of Aledo, Texas, leads a hard-hitting Bobcat team in kills (272) and had 191 digs and 47 blocks, including four solo. Deardorff, a native of Austin, Texas, ranks fourth in the league in hitting percentage (.328) and is one of only six Southland players to hit better than .300 on the year. She also has contributed with 200 kills, 59 digs and 52 blocks.
Lamar sophomore Jayme Bazile was selected first-team all-conference for the first time in her career. A native of Beaumont, Texas, Bazile leads the league in blocks (114) for the second consecutive season and ranks sixth in the conference in hitting percentage (.325).
Sam Houston State junior Carli Kolbe received her second all-conference selection. A native of College Station, Texas, Kolbe ranks third in the league in kills (401) and kills per set (3.61). She is the first Bearkat to post more than 400 kills in a season in consecutive years since Alisha Fowler in 2004-05.
Rounding out the first-team selections is UT Arlington junior Amanda Aguilera and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi senior Emma Ridley.
Aguilera, a native of Pearland, Texas, was named to the first team for a second time after leading UTA in kills (330) which ranks seventh in the league overall and fourth in kills per set (3.51). Ridley leads the league in kills per set (3.95) and ranks second overall in kills (415), marking her second consecutive season with more than 400 kills.
Second-team all-conference members include UT Arlington junior Alicia Shaffer and senior Bianca Sauls, Texas State junior Amber Calhoun, Central Arkansas junior Cristin Curl, Stephen F. Austin junior M.C. Bottles and Nicholls junior Danielle Daigle. Bottles makes her third all-conference appearance and Calhoun and Curl each earned their second career all-conference honor.
The 2010 All-Southland Conference Volleyball teams are comprised of 12 first-team and six second-team members. Teams are chosen by vote of the league's head coaches and sports information directors. Recipients are placed by the number of votes received.
The 2010 Southland Conference Volleyball Tournament gets underway Friday in Huntsville, Texas, with four first-round matches. The semifinals will be held Saturday with the championship match being played Sunday at 3 p.m., CST, on the Southland Conference Television Network. All the tournament matches will be streamed live on SLC NOW on Southland.org.
Individual Award Winners
Player of the Year - Chloe Smith, Central ArkansasLibero of the Year - Kelsey Jewasko, UTSA
Freshman of the Year - Marissa Collins, Central Arkansas
Setter of the Year - Marissa Collins, Central ArkansasNewcomer of the Year - Christina Hobbs, Lamar
Coach of the Year - Steven McRoberts, Central Arkansas2010 All-Southland Conference Volleyball Teams
First Team
Name School Pos. Cl. Hometown/Prev. School
Chloe Smith4 Central Arkansas RS Sr. San Diego, Calif./Our Lady of Peace Kendra Rowland3 UTSA OH Sr. Antioch, Calif./Deer Valley
Jessica Hays Central Arkansas OH Jr. Friendswood, Texas/Friendswood A.J. Watlington Texas StateOH Sr. Aledo, Texas/Aledo
Carli Kolbe2 Sam Houston State OH Jr. College Station, Texas/A&M Consolidated
Kelsey Jewasko2 UTSA L Jr. San Antonio, Texas/East Central
Marissa Collins Central Arkansas S Fr. Pearland, Texas/Pearland Emma Ridley2 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi OH Sr. Phoenix, Ariz./Tulsa
Jayme Bazile Lamar MB So. Beaumont, Texas/Ozen
Kelsey Schwirtlich UTSA S So. Corpus Christi, Texas/Calallen
Amari Deardorff Texas State RS Fr. Austin, Texas/Westwood
Amanda Aguilera2 UT Arlington OH Jr. Pearland, Texas/Pearland
Second Team
Name School Pos. Cl. Hometown/Prev. School
Alicia Shaffer UT Arlington L Jr. Magnolia, Texas/Magnolia
Amber Calhoun2 Texas State MB Jr. Houston, Texas/Second Baptist
Bianca Sauls UT Arlington OH Sr. Pflugerville, Texas/Pflugerville
Cristin Curl2 Central Arkansas L Jr. Amarillo, Texas/Tascosa M.C. Bottles3 Stephen F. Austin MB Jr. Rowlett, Texas/Rowlett
Danielle Daigle Nicholls L Jr. Napoleonville, La./Assumption
2Two-time all-conference
3Three-time all-conference
4Four-time all-conference
Honorable Mention:
Taylor Hammonds, Central Arkansas; Christina Hobbs, Lamar; Katie Kennedy, McNeese State; Becky Bekelja, McNeese State; Laranda Spann, Northwestern State; Kaylee Hawkins, Sam Houston State; Kim Black, Sam Houston State; Whitney Walls, UTSA; Briana Mason, UTSA.