Hofstra's Wills Headlines 2014 All-CAA Volleyball Squad
Tim McDonnell
RICHMOND, Va. (Nov. 19, 2014) – Hofstra senior Kelsie Wills has been named 2014 Colonial Athletic Association volleyball Player of the Year in a vote by the league's head coaches, the league announced on Wednesday.
Others receiving top volleyball honors from the conference were fellow Hofstra sophomore standout Hannah Klemm as CAA Setter of the Year and College of Charleston senior Andi Zbojniewicz as Defensive Specialist of the Year. Freshman Brigitte Burcescu of Northeastern became the second straight Husky to win CAA Rookie of the Year, while Towson’s Don Metil was honored as the Coach of the Year.
Wills is the Pride’s current all-time leader in career kills (1,895) and paces a Hofstra offensive attack that ranks second in the CAA in hitting percentage (.255) and second in kills per set (14.02). The senior has been named to the All-CAA first team each of the last three seasons and leads the conference in total kills (459) and kills per set (4.21) while ranking No. 21 and 32, respectively, in Division I for those categories. Wills, a native of Matamata, New Zealand, has also contributed 293 digs, 30 service aces, and 65 blocks as the Pride won 26 matches through the regular season, which are the most wins for the program since 1999.
Klemm has certainly impressed in just her second full season of collegiate volleyball. The Berlin, Germany native has missed just one of Hofstra’s 109 sets played thus far in 2014 and has been a staple offensively, recording 1,253 total assists, and averaging an eye-opening 11.60 assists per set. She not only leads the league in total assists by a margin of 225, but currently averages 1.99 more assist per set than any other setter in the conference.
Zbojniewicz ended the regular season ranking 12
th among Division I competitors with 611 total digs and has been one of the team’s most consistent and improved defensive players this season. The College of Charleston senior ranks second in the CAA in total digs as well as digs per set with a 6.01 average and has started all of the Cougars’ 122 sets this season. During CAA play, Zbojniewicz led all league players with 5.89 digs per set.
Burcescu is the fifth Northeastern player to receive Rookie of the Year honors and the fourth in the last five years. The freshman outside hitter did just about everything asked of her on both sides of the ball. She wrapped up her rookie campaign with the Huskies totaling 400 kills – 3.45 per set, good for third in the CAA – and did not miss one of the team’s 116 sets played. A native of Cortlandt Manor, N.Y., Burcescu also had 149 digs and 64 blocks this past season.
Metil took over the Towson volleyball program for the first time in 2013, and has already made great strides in his second year. The 2014 squad, which earned the No. 3 seed for the CAA Championship, has already improved its win total from one year ago by 17 and more importantly, improved its conference win total from 2-12 to 13-3. The Tigers started the year on the right track, winning 14 of their first 15 matches, including nine straight wins from the get-go. TU finished the regular season with a notable 27-4 overall record, while the 27 wins are tied for the third-most in single-season program history.
Hofstra and Towson led the league with two players on the All-CAA First Team. Wills was joined by senior middle blocker Nuria Lopes da Silva (309 K/.336%/118 B/1.08 BPS). Towson’s two first team selections were seniors Saitaua Iosia (442 K/4.13 KPS/46 SA/238 D) and Victoria Williams (324 K/3.06 KPS/.357%/63 B). College of Charleston senior Sloane White made the all-conference first team for the second year in row. White led her team with a .279 hitting percentage and ranked second with 336 kills. UNCW junior middle hitter Meredith Peacock became just the second Seahawk to earn first-team honors since 1993. She currently leads the CAA and ranks second in Division I with 164 total blocks this year.
2014 ALL-CAA VOLLEYBALL TEAMS
Selected by CAA Volleyball Coaches
FIRST TEAM
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School
Saitaua Iosia, Towson Sr. OH Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Poly
Nuria Lopes da Silva, Hofstra Sr. MB Lisbon, Portugal/Escola Secundaria de Sampaio
Meredith Peacock, UNCW Jr. MH Charlotte, N.C./Hickory Grove
Sloane White, Coll. of Charleston Sr. RS Indianapolis, Ind./Brebeuf Jesuit
Victoria Williams, Towson Sr. OPP Los Angeles, Calif./Santa Monica
Kelsie Wills, Hofstra Sr. OH Matamata, New Zealand/Matamata College
SECOND TEAM
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School
Janey Goodman, James Madison So. RS Powhatan, Va./Powhatan
Katie Hillman, Delaware Jr. OH Deerfield Beach, Fla./Cardinal Gibbons
Cara Howley, Coll. of Charleston Sr. OH McKinney, Texas/South Carolina
Hannah Klemm, Hofstra So. S Berlin, Germany/SLZB
Natalia Skiba, Northeastern Sr. L Westmont, Ill./Hinsdale Central
Andi Zbojniewicz, Coll. of Charleston Sr. L Manhattan Beach, Calif./Mira Costa
THIRD TEAM
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School
Lizzy Briones, James Madison Sr. MB Siloam Springs, Ark./Siloam Springs
Emily Burke, Hofstra Sr. OH Staten Island, N.Y./Susan E. Wagner
Morgan Kline, UNCW Sr. OH Yorktown, Va./Grafton
Melissa Morello, Coll. of Charleston Jr. OH Milwaukee, Wisc./Nicolet
Haley Pa’akaula, Towson Jr. OH Honolulu, Hawaii/Kamehameha-Kapalama
Paige Sekerak, Towson Sr. L Montgomery Village, Md./Poolesville
2014 CAA Player of the Year: Kelsie Wills, Hofstra
2014 CAA Setter of the Year: Hannah Klemm, Hofstra
2014 CAA Defensive Specialist of the Year: Andi Zbojniewicz, College of Charleston
2014 CAA Rookie of the Year: Brigitte Burcescu, Northeastern
2014 CAA Coach of the Year: Don Metil, Towson
ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School
Brigitte Burcescu, Northeastern Fr. OH Cortlandt Manor, N.Y./Walter Panas
Sydney Busa, Elon Fr. OH Leesburg, Va./Heritage
Mackenzie Cooler, Coll. of Charleston Fr. S Bluffton, S.C./Bluffton
Sarah Kelly, UNCW Fr. MH Raleigh, N.C./Leesville Road
Barbara Lopez, Towson Fr. S Bayamon, Puerto Rico/Bayamon Military Acad.
Krissy Mummey, Coll. of Charleston Fr. MB Hudson, Ohio/Hudson
Sara Zumbach, William & Mary Fr. L Franklin, Tenn./Battle Ground Academy
ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School
Jamie Bredahl, Northeastern So. S Parker, Colo./Front Range
Liz Brown, William & Mary Sr. OH Ellicott City, Md./Centennial
Megan Gravley, Elon Jr. OH Apex, N.C./Apex
Katie Hillman, Delaware Jr. OH Deerfield Beach, Fla./Cardinal Gibbons
Kaitlyn Krause, Hofstra Jr. DS Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington
Morgan Kline, UNCW Sr. OH Yorktown, Va./Grafton
Aimee Schubert, Towson Jr. S Edmonton, Alberta, Canada/Ainlay
Martha Stewart, James Madison Sr. OH Naperville, Ill./Waubonsie Valley
Catey Warren, College of Charleston Sr. MB Charleston, S.C./Ashley Hall