ROCK HILL, S.C. – On the eve of the South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Championship Semifinals, junior setter Emily Conlin, senior Jayln Knight, sophomores Regan Duty and Hailee Wilhelm and freshman Liliana Kinder have earned all-conference accolades, as announced by the conference Thursday morning.
The quintet of honorees marked the program's highest tally since AU joined the South Atlantic Conference for the 2010 campaign.
The Trojans are ranked fourth in the latest NCAA Southeast Regional Poll and enter Friday's South Atlantic Conference Tournament semifinals as the No. 2 seed after claiming wins in 11 of their last 13 matches.
Conlin was named First-Team All-South Atlantic Conference for the second straight season after becoming the first Trojan to earn SAC Freshman of the Year honors two years ago. The Glendale, Ariz., native was named SAC Specialist of the Week four times this season and led the conference in assists, assists per set, aces and aces per set. Conlin also ranked 15th in digs and digs per set and has recorded 19 double-doubles this season. She has handed out double-figure assists in every match this season, while reaching 40+ assists on 14 occasions and 50+ assists in five matches this season. Conlin ranks third all-time in the school record books in total assists.
Wilhelm, a middle hitter from Columbus, Ohio, also garnered First-Team All-SAC honors after and stands 12th in the SAC in kills per set. The sophomore is 28th in the league in total blocks and has reached double-figure kills in 16 matches, including the last seven. She has averaged more than 15 kills per match over the last seven matches, while reaching a season-high 20 kills in two of those contests.
Knight captured Second-Team All-SAC accolades, while ranking second on the team with a career-high 284 kills and was third on the squad with 397 digs. The native of Redlands, Calif., is one of just three players in the league with more than 300 digs and 200 kills. She has reached double-digit kills on 15 occasions and posted double-figure digs 23 times, while notched 14 double-doubles this season. The versatile outside hitter has averaged more than 10 kills and nearly 18 digs over the last six outings.
Duty, who is third on the Trojan squad with 235 kills, was named Honorable Mention All-Conference after ranking 20th in the league in kills and standing 15th in kills per set. A native of Inman, S.C., Duty knocked down double-figure kills in a dozen matches, including four of the last six contests.
Kinder earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team after knocking down 183 kills and posting 32 total blocks on the season. The Ponte Vedra, Fla., native reached double-figure kills on eight occasions and has averaged more than 10 kills per match over the last seven outings.
2018 SAC Volleyball All-Conference
First Team
Emily Conlin, Anderson
Rachel Alles, Wingate
Angelica Arroyo, Lenoir-Rhyne
Phoebe Havenaar, Wingate
Casey Tarvin, Queens
Sally Anne Johnson, Mars Hill
Hailee Wilhelm, Anderson
Morgan Ballard, Carson-Newman (L)
Second Team
Anna Holmquist, Wingate
Erica Whiteaker, Lincoln Memorial (L)
Rylee Storms, Lincoln Memorial
Kori Adams, Wingate (L)
Jayln Knight, Anderson
Hannah Givens, Wingate
Megan Oldenburger, Carson-Newman
Tone Gill, Lincoln Memorial
Honorable Mention
Taylor du Bray, Coker
Zoe Dinkins, Newberry
Taylor Prall, Lenoir-Rhyne
Elizabeth Kaeser, Mars Hill
Regan Duty, Anderson
Melissa Mazur, Tusculum (L)
Logan Witt, Queens
Jaclyn Denny, Lenoir-Rhyne
All-Freshman
Lana Strejcek, Coker
Emily Walter, Lincoln Memorial
Helen Hamilton, Lenoir-Rhyne
Sarah Goddard, Mars Hill
Liliana Kinder, Anderson
Carli Pigza, Tusculum
Player of the Year
Rachel Alles, Wingate
Freshman of the Year
Lana Strejcek, Coker
Coach of the Year
Shelton Collier, Wingate
Statistical Champions
Hitting Percentage: Hailee Wilhelm, Anderson (.338)
Kills Per Set: Casey Tarvin, Queens (3.76)
Assists Per Set: Emily Conlin, Anderson (11.47)
Blocks Per Set: Zoe Dinkins (1.37)
Service Aces: Emily Conlin (53)
Digs Per Set: Morgan Ballard, Carson-Newman (7.55)
Team Hitting Percentage: Wingate (.245)
Team Assists Per Set: Wingate (13.99)
Team Kills Per Set: Wingate (14.63)
Team Winning Percentage: Wingate (.963)
Team Opponent Hitting Percentage: Wingate (.104)
Team Blocks Per Set: Carson-Newman (2.31)
Team Service Aces Per Set: Lincoln Memorial (1.90)
Team Digs Per Set: Queens (22.17)