NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Bentley middle blocker Elizabeth Blinn has been named a multi-time recipient of All-America honors, as announced by both the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA).
Blinn, who previously earned First Team All-Region and NE10 Defensive Player of the Year, was recently tabbed D2CCA Second Team All-America and AVCA Third Team All-America after leading Bentley to its third consecutive East Region title and trip to the NCAA Division II quarterfinals. She has helped the Falcons this season to a 27-4 record, including a current 23-match winning streak.
Blinn becomes the first Bentley player to ever be named to an All-American team, as former players Christiana Sadowski and Alyssa Carter were previously named AVCA Honorable Mention All-Americans. She is currently first among all Division II players in blocks per set (1.76) and second in total blocks (174).
The NE10 had 11 players selected as AVCA Honorable Mention All-Americans, including a league-high five players from Adelphi - Madeleine Chaapel, Delaney Kiendra, Macarty McQueen, Autumn Moore and Ana Carolina Westerich. Janelys Perez Cortes and Perla Rosa represented AIC, Kerrigan Habing was selected from Southern Connecticut and the Bentley trio of Lula Pavan, Sophia Poehlein and Tory Vitko were recognized.
The AVCA All-America teams include 42 players (14 on each team) from 29 schools, as well as 117 honorable mention selections. The D2CCA All-America teams have 21 players (seven on each team).
Bentley, the No. 6 seed in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals, will play No. 3 Point Loma on Thursday at 12 p.m. in Sioux Falls, S.D. The game will be available on ESPN+.
The AVCA, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., is managed by Associations International. The mission of the AVCA is to advance the sport of volleyball with AVCA coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy and professional development. With a membership of over 7,000 and counting, the AVCA provides a professional network for those individuals and companies dedicated to enhancing and promoting the sport.
The D2CCA encourages and promotes DII athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education. The CCA is a communications link among the conferences as they discuss views, policies and regulations that impact DII intercollegiate athletics and works closely with the NCAA as a communications channel to NCAA DII member colleges and universities.
D2CCA ALL-AMERICANS
SECOND TEAM
Elizabeth Blinn, Bentley
AVCA ALL-AMERICANS
THIRD TEAM
Elizabeth Blinn, Bentley
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Madeleine Chaapel, Adelphi
Delaney Kiendra, Adelphi
Macarty McQueen, Adelphi
Autumn Moore, Adelphi
Ana Carolina Westerich, Adelphi
Janelys Perez Cortes, AIC
Perla Rosa, AIC
Lulu Pavan, Bentley
Sophia Poehlein, Bentley
Tory Vitko, Bentley
Kerrigan Habing, SCSU
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