DANVILLE, Va. — Seven different programs from across the Commonwealth of Virginia were represented on the 2015 Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) College Division All-State Volleyball Team, which was announced Thursday. Christopher Newport University’s Briana Sutton was named the VaSID Player of the Year, while Averett University’s Keenan Marks was voted as Rookie of the Year. Christopher Newport coach Lindsay Birch earned Coach of the Year honors for the ninth consecutive year.
Sutton, a junior outside hitter from Williamsburg, Virginia, averaged 4.12 kills per set during the season, which ranks second on CNU’s all-time list. Sutton earned American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) First Team All-America and AVCA All-Region First Team honors, as well as being named the 2015 Capital Athletic Conference Player of the Year while earning CAC All-Conference First Team recognition. Additionally, she garnered one AVCA National Player of the Week award, two CAC Player of the Week nods and earns spots on the Captains Classic All-Tournament Team and the CNU Invitational All-Tournament Team. Sutton averaged 5.00 kills per set and hit .373 against nationally ranked opponents, including a 28-kill performance against No. 4 Emory University. She also led the team with six double-doubles and had a career-high 19 digs against Salisbury University.
Marks, a freshman setter from Jacksonville, North Carolina, was named the 2015 USA South Conference Rookie of the Year while earning a spot on the USA South All-Conference First Team. Marks led the conference in both assists (1,165) and assists average (10.31). She also was a five-time selection as USA South Rookie of the Week. In addition to being named the VaSID Rookie of the Year, she earned VaSID All-State Second Team recognition.
Birch led the Captains to a 30-3 overall record, which helped her earn CAC Coach of the Year. She guided her team to the CAC regular season and tournament championships and coached them to the second round of the NCAA Tournament despite losing two All-Americans to season-ending injuries earlier in the year. CNU’s .909 winning percentage ranked fifth in the NCAA, and the Captains were ranked in the top 15 in the AVCA poll throughout the year, peaking as high as No. 2.
Joining Sutton on the VaSID All-State First Team were teammates Rachel Conway and Hannah Miller, along with Virginia Wesleyan College’s Tiffany Barrett, Randolph-Macon College’s Courtney Lowers and Averett’s Hannah Shields. Randolph-Macon’s Samantha Sallade was the libero/defensive specialist on the First Team.
In addition to Marks, the VaSID Second Team was comprised of University of Virginia-Wise’s Karley Allen, Washington and Lee University’s Anna Lausberg and Mackenzie Shand, University of Mary Washington’s Emma Olson and Randolph-Macon’s Katie Rossberg. Virginia Wesleyan’s Marin Crowder made the Second Team as well as the libero/defensive specialist.
2015 VaSID College Division Women’s Volleyball All-State Teams
First Team
Courtney Lowers, Randolph-Macon
Hannah Shields, Averett
Briana Sutton, Christopher Newport
Tiffany Barrett, Virginia Wesleyan
Rachel Conway, Christopher Newport
Hannah Miller, Christopher Newport
Libero/Defensive Specialist - Samantha Sallade, Randolph-Macon
Second Team
Anna Lausberg, Washington and Lee
Keenan Marks, Averett
Emma Olson, Mary Washington
Mackenzie Shand, Washington and Lee
Karley Allen, UVA-Wise
Katie Rossberg, Randolph-Macon
Libero/Defensive Specialist - Marin Crowder, Virginia Wesleyan
Player of the Year: Brianna Sutton, Christopher Newport
Rookie of the Year: Keenan Marks, Averett
Coach of the Year: Lindsay Birch, Christopher Newport