PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Nine BIG EAST volleyball players were named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Northeast Region team as announced by the organization on Dec. 6. Marquette freshman Chelsea Heier was named Northeast Region Freshman of the Year, while Golden Eagle head coach Bond Shymansky was named Northeast Region Coach of the Year. Two additional players from BIG EAST schools were honorable mention selections.
The nine selections tied the most in conference history, also set in 2010, 2009 and 2005. In addition, Heier is the fifth-straight BIG EAST player to be named Northeast Region Freshman of the Year and seventh in the last eight seasons.
Heier, who also was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, earned BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honors five times this season. She was an All-BIG EAST Second Team selection. The setter ranked first in the league with 11.89 assists per set. The San Clemente, Calif., native was named to the All-Northeast Region team.
In Shymansky's third season as the Marquette head coach, he guided the Golden Eagles to 24 wins. They earned their first-ever berth in the NCAA Championship as an at-large selection out of the BIG EAST. He has directed Marquette to 45 victories over the past two seasons, the highest total over any two-year stretch since the school joined Division I in 1985. Marquette’s 12 victories in BIG EAST play is a program record.
Three Marquette Players were named to the All-Northeast Region team. Along with Heier, Senior Ciara Jones and junior Danielle Carlson were selected as members. Jones finished the season fifth in the league with 3.59 kills per set. Carlson posted a league best .385 hitting percentage.
Cincinnati, who won the BIG EAST Championship for the first time, placed two players on the All-Northeast Region team. Senior Missy Harpenau and junior Jordanne Scott both made the list for the second time in their careers. Harpenau averaged 3.37 kills per set and 2.99 digs per set. Scott led the Bearcats with 3.54 kills per set and a .319 hitting percentage.
Louisville, the BIG EAST regular-season champion, placed two players on the All-Northeast Region team. BIG EAST Player of the Year Lola Arslanbekova and sophomore Taylor Brauneis. This is the third consecutive year that Arslanbekova has made the list while Brauneis makes it for the first time. Arslanbekova was named BIG EAST Player of the Week four times this season and led the league with 4.88 kills per set. Brauneis finished third in the league averaging 10.49 assists per set and is seventh all-time in program history in assist.
Pittsburgh senior Kiesha Leggs and Villanova senior Kim Maroon rounded out the selections for the conference. Seton Hall senior Meghan Matusiak and Louisville sophomore Emily Juhl notched honorable mention selections.
AVCA All-Northeast Region Team
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Lola Arslanbekova
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University of Louisville
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OH
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Jr.
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Taylor Brauneis
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University of Louisville
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S
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So.
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Sarah Brown
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Xavier University
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OH
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So
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Megan Campbell
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University of Dayton
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MB
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So
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Danielle Carlson
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Marquette University
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MB
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Jr.
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Melissa Harpenau
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University of Cincinnati
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OH
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Sr.
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Chelsea Heier
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Marquette University
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S
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Fr.
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Ciara Jones
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Marquette University
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OH
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Sr.
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Rachel Krabacher
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University of Dayton
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OH
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Jr.
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Kiesha Leggs
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University of Pittsburgh
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MB
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Sr.
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Kim Maroon
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Villanova University
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L
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Sr.
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Kendall Polan
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Yale University
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S/H
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So.
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Jordanne Scott
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University of Cincinnati
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RS
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Jr.
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Samantha Selsky
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University of Dayton
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S
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Jr.
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Region Freshman of the Year: Chelsie Heier, Marquette, S
Honorable Mention: Emily Juhl (Louisville, OH/RS, So.), Alicia Nelson (Stony Brook, OH, Sr.), Laurie Gonzalez (Albany, L, Sr.), Meghan Matusiak (Seton Hall, RS, Sr.), Sara Rishell (American, MB, Fr.), Casey Wright (Albany, MB, Sr.)
