NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Adelphi's Macarty McQueen was named the East Region Player of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) on Wednesday, highlighting All-Region honors among Northeast 10 Conference players.
McQueen leads a group of 14 NE10 players to earn All-Region status from either or both the AVCA and Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA). Joining her among major award winners was Bentley's Joey Pacis, who was tabbed AVCA East Region Coach of the Year after leading the Falcons to both the NE10 regular season and tournament titles.
Adelphi had a league-high five players named to All-Region teams, while Bentley had four, American International had three and Southern Connecticut had two. Four players were recognized by both the AVCA and D2CCA - including McQueen and Bentley's Elizabeth Blinn, who earned First Team honors from both organizations.
McQueen leads all NE10 players this season in kills (426), kills per set (4.02), points (472.5) and points per set (4.46). She ranks in the Top 20 in kills and in the Top 30 in points among all Division II players. She became just the second player in Adelphi program history to earn NE10 Player of the Year, joining Megan Manierski, who accomplished the feat in 2015.
Blinn, the Division II leader in blocks per set (1.67), was named the NE10 Defensive Player of the Year while helping Bentley to the NE10 Championship title and hosting duties for the East Regional. She was joined by teammates Sophia Poehlein and Tory Vitko (NE10 Setter of the Year) on AVCA First Team All-Region.
Overall, the NE10 had 18 All-Region selections - including 10 to the First Team. Among the 160 players who earned AVCA All-Region honors, 85 different schools were represented. Adelphi had five selections, which was tied for the most among all Division II programs. Bentley was tied for third with four.
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-EAST REGION TEAM
First Team
Macarty McQueen, Adelphi
Elizabeth Blinn, Bentley
Second Team
Sophia Poehlein, Bentley
Tory Vitko, Bentley
Sydney Bennett, SCSU
AVCA ALL-EAST REGION TEAM
Player of the Year
Macarty McQueen, Adelphi
Coach of the Year
Joey Pacis, Bentley
All-Region
Ana Carolina Westerich, Adelphi
Madeleine Chaapel, Adelphi
Macarty McQueen, Adelphi
Perla Rosa, AIC
Paola Soto Burgos, AIC
Elizabeth Blinn, Bentley
Sophia Poehlein, Bentley
Tory Vitko, Bentley
Honorable Mention
Delaney Kiendra, Adelphi
Autumn Moore, Adelphi
Janelys Perez Cortes, AIC
Lulu Pavan, Bentley
Kerrigan Habing, SCSU
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 10 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
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