ROCK HILL, S.C. – In the midst of the program's eighth straight appearance in the South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Championships, a school-record six Anderson University volleyball players have earned all-conference accolades, as announced by the league office, Wednesday morning.
The Trojans were ranked fourth in the latest NCAA Southeast Regional Poll and enter Friday's South Atlantic Conference Tournament semifinals as the No. 3 seed after claiming wins in 10 of their last 13 matches.
Senior setter Emily Conlin earned first-team all-conference honors for the third consecutive season and was named the league's Player of the Year after capturing SAC Specialist of the Week recognition on five occasions during the regular season - and 13 times during her career. The Glendale, Ariz., native is the only player in the conference with more than 1,000 assists and 300 digs and leads the conference in assists and assists per set, while also ranking 32nd in the nation in assists per set. Conlin also stands 13th in the SAC in digs and 17th in digs per set.
The two-time All-American has started every match this season, while posting 18 double-doubles and has dished out double-figure assists in every contest this season. Conlin has reached 40+ assists on 15 occasions, including a season-high 54 twice and earlier this season she took over the top spot in the AU record books with more than 4,900 career assists. At the conclusion of the 2016 campaign, Conlin became the first Trojan to earn SAC Freshman of the Year honors.
Wilhelm, a middle hitter from Columbus, Ohio, garnered Second-Team All-SAC honors after ranking second on the team and 16th in the league with 240 kills on the season. She is fourth in the league with her .336 hitting percentage and has knocked down double-figure kills in 11 contests, including six of the last 10 matches and has averaged nearly 11 kills per set over that time frame. Wilhelm is tied for 14th in the school record books with 115 career block assists.
Junior Regan Duty claimed a spot on the Honorable Mention All-SAC squad for the second consecutive season after ranking third on the squad in both kills (217) and total blocks (56), while posting double-figure kills in nine matches, Including a stretch of four straight contests in late October.
Joining Duty among Honorable Mention honorees were a pair of sophomores – Maya Learmonth and Noelle Knutsen. Learmonth captured the honor after notching double-digit kills in 13 regular-season matches and paced the Trojans, while ranking 15th in the league with a career-high 250 kills during the regular season. Knutsen garnered the postseason recognition following a regular season that saw the Parker, Colo., native rank fifth in the conference in hitting percentage (.326) and stand 14th in the conference with a team-best 78 total blocks.
Lindsay McCurley is 39th in the country with 45 service aces on the season and was tabbed for the All-Freshman Team. The Simpsonville, S.C., native, currently ranks ninth in the SAC and leads the Trojans with nearly 400 digs. Her 3.74 digs per set is 13th in the league.
The six Black and Gold honorees eclipsed last year's total of five Trojans that brought home all-conference recognition.
2019 SAC Volleyball All-Conference
First Team
Emily Conlin, Anderson
Sophie Schaff, Wingate
Casey Tarvin, Queens
Rachel Alles, Wingate
Taylor Prall, Lenoir-Rhyne
Treslyn Ortiz, Wingate (L)
Marnie Streeter, Carson-Newman
Lynnlee Mather, Wingate
Second Team
Sally Anne Johnson, Mars Hill
Hailee Wilhelm, Anderson
Erin Edwards, Carson-Newman
Logan Witt, Queens
Morgan Ballard, Carson-Newman (L)
Mallory Swarts, Queens
Lindsey Nartker, Lincoln Memorial
Emiah Burrowes, Tusculum
Honorable Mention
Ully Martins, Mars Hill (L)
Gabby Gray, Tusculum
Sarah Goddard, Mars Hill
Maya Learmonth, Anderson
Jaycee Jones, Queens
Regan Duty, Anderson
Noelle Knutsen, Anderson
Kylie Morgan, Catawba
All-Freshman
Emiah Burrowes, Tusculum
Lindsay McCurley, Anderson
Cate Hosenfeld, Lincoln Memorial
Maggie Young, Wingate
Anna McLain, Queens
Elise Carmichael, Tusculum
Player of the Year
Emily Conlin, Anderson
Freshman of the Year
Emiah Burrowes, Tusculum
Coach of the Year
Hannah Long, Queens
Statistical Champions
Hitting Percentage: Lynnlee Mather, Wingate (.382)
Kills Per Set: Taylor Prall, Lenoir-Rhyne (3.87)
Assists Per Set: Emily Conlin, Anderson (10.54)
Blocks Per Set: Katie Parnell, Carson-Newman (1.32)
Service Aces: Treslyn Ortiz, Wingate (46)
Digs Per Set: Ully Martins, Mars Hill (5.83)
Team Hitting Percentage: Wingate (.242)
Team Assists Per Set: Wingate (13.05)
Team Kills Per Set: Wingate (14.09)
Team Winning Percentage: Wingate (.966)
Team Opponent Hitting Percentage: Wingate (.081)
Team Blocks Per Set: Carson-Newman (2.58)
Team Service Aces Per Set: Wingate (2.31)
Team Digs Per Set: Mars Hill (21.22)
