Pasour named to All-Freshman team, three Lions earn honorable mention
Mars Hill's Sarah Pasour earned South Atlantic Conference All-Freshman team honors while Lauren Hochstetler, Rebecca Butler and Sally Anne Johnson were named All-Conference Honorable Mentions.
ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) - Wingate outside hitter Katie Bludau was voted the 2017 South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Player of the Year, while Lenoir-Rhyne's Taylor Prall was voted the Conference's Freshman of the Year. In addition, Anderson mentor Todd Hay was tabbed the Coach of the Year, the League announced today.
Bludau, a senior from Seabrook, Texas, started all 25 matches she played in for the Bulldogs. She finished the regular season with the league lead in kills per set (4.28), points per set (4.78) and ranked third in total kills (338). She totaled double-digit kills in 21 of her 25 matches. The senior finished sixth in the league with 9.91 attacks per set while finishing fifth with a .305 hitting percentage. Bludau was named 2017 AstroTurf SAC Volleyball Player of the Week on three separate occasions.
Prall, a freshman from Tipp City, Ohio, turned in an impressive freshman season as she played in all 26 matches for the Bears this season. She ranked 11th in kills per set (2.77), while ranking 12th in total kills (255), and points per set (3.1). She recorded a career high 21.5 points and 18 kills in a five-set victory against American International on September 1. On defense, she turned in a 17 dig performance on October 7 at Coker. Prall is the fourth Bear to win Freshman of the Year and first since teammate Brooke Redmond earned the honor in 2014.
Hay led the Trojans to a 26-3 overall record and a 19-1 record in league action as Anderson claimed their first ever SAC Volleyball Regular Season Championship. During the 2017 season, the Trojans ranked second in the league in numerous categories. They finished second in aces per set (1.64), assists per set (13.60), hitting percentage (.248), kills per set (14.12) and team assists (1.292). The Trojans finished out the regular season on a 21-game winning streak, the third longest active winning streak in Division-II Volleyball. The honor marks his first Coach of the Year honor and is also Anderson's first ever Coach of the Year honor.
2017 South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Player & Freshman of the Year Highlights
2017 SAC Volleyball All-Conference
First Team
Katie Bludau, Wingate
Marissa Mitter, Anderson
Anna Holmquist, Wingate
Rebecca Cochran, Queens
Rachel Burts, Anderson
Emily Conlin, Anderson
Sydney Kunz, Queens
Morgan Ballard, Carson-Newman (L)
Second Team
Marnie Steeter, Carson-Newman
Kiera Holland, Lincoln Memorial
Rachel Alles, Wingate
Brooke Redmond, Lenoir-Rhyne
Taylor Henry, Queens
Phoebe Havenaar, Wingate
Cassie Born, Tusculum
Kori Adams, Wingate (L)
Honorable Mention
Serena Jackson, Anderson
Rebecca Butler, Mars Hill
Jessica Raines, Queens
Taylor du Bray, Coker
Lauren Hochstetler, Mars Hill
Shannon Murphy, Tusculum
Sally Anne Johnson, Mars Hill
Melissa Mazur, Tusculum (L)
All-Freshman
Taylor Prall, Lenoir-Rhyne
Anne Abernathy, Wingate
Megan Oldenburger, Carson-Newman
Casey Tarvin, Queens
Sarah Pasour, Mars Hill
Jaycee Jones, Queens (T)
Alicia Kessler, Lincoln Memorial (T)
Player of the Year
Katie Bludau, Wingate
Freshman of the Year
Taylor Prall, Lenoir-Rhyne
Coach of the Year
Todd Hay, Anderson
Statistical Champions
Hitting Percentage: Anna Holmquist, Wingate (.417)
Kills Per Set: Katie Bludau, Wingate (4.28)
Assists Per Set: Emily Conlin, Anderson (12.05)
Blocks Per Set: Tone Gill, Lincoln Memorial (1.24)
Service Aces: Sydney Kunz, Queens (39)
Digs Per Set: Morgan Ballard, Carson-Newman (6.82)
Team Hitting Percentage: Wingate (.286)
Team Assists Per Set: Wingate (14.40)
Team Kills Per Set: Wingate (15.19)
Team Winning Percentage: Wingate (.923)
Team Opponent Hitting Percentage: Anderson (.108)
Team Blocks Per Set: Lenoir-Rhyne (2.66)
Team Service Aces Per Set: Queens (1.74)
Team Digs Per Set: Mars Hill (22.73)
