DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University junior Hannah Shields was named the Player of the Year Friday to headline the 2016 Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) College Division All-State Women's Volleyball Team. The University of Mary Washington's freshman Savannah Powers and Matt Troy were voted Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year, respectively.
Nine different programs from across the Commonwealth were represented in the annual awards presented to the best women's volleyball players in the state at the Division II, III or NAIA level. Christopher Newport University led the group with three total selections, while six of the nine schools had at least two players selected.
Shields, an outside hitter from Dry Fork, Virginia, capped a stellar season in which she was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America Second Team and voted the USA South Conference Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. For the third season in a row, Shields earned AVCA All-Region Team honors and USA South First Team recognition. In just three seasons, Shields broke the USA South's conference career record for kills. During the 2016 season, Shields averaged 4.91 kills and 2.81 digs per set while helping Averett go 15-0 in conference play during the regular season while winning the USA South's East Division crown. Additionally, Shields earned USA South East Division First Team honors and USA South Player of the Week accolades four times in 2016.
Powers, an outside hitter from Fairfax, Virginia, earned AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region recognition after being named the AVCA North Region Rookie of the Year, the Capital Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year and a member of the All-CAC First Team. Powers led eighth-ranked Mary Washington with 3.03 kills per set while also averaging 2.01 digs as the Eagles won the CAC championship and advanced to the NCAA Division III national quarterfinals. Powers was named the NCAA Tournament Fredericksburg Regional Most Outstanding Player. She also earned CAC Player of the Week honors twice this season.
Troy, in his fourth season at Mary Washington, led the Eagles to the 2016 CAC championship with a 31-4 record. Mary Washington advanced to the NCAA national quarterfinals for the first time in program history, winning three NCAA Tournament matches and advancing to the finals site in Oshkosh, Wisc. Additionally, Troy was tabbed as the CAC Coach of the Year and Regional Coach of the Year.
Shields and Powers also earned a spot on the 2016 VaSID All-State First Team. Powers was joined by teammate Emma Olson, along with Christopher Newport's Hannah Miller and Rachel Close, Lynchburg College's Jen Garrett, Randolph-Macon College's Mariah Clark and Washington and Lee University's Mackenzie Shand.
The VaSID All-State second team was comprised of Averett's Keenan Marks , Bridgewater College's Abby Mills and Macon Frey, Christopher Newport's Maddie McCann, Marymount University's Cailyn Thomas and Emileigh Rettig, Virginia Wesleyan College's Tiffany Barrett and Washington and Lee's Meg Guignon.
VaSID names 27 all-state teams in 15 sports each year, as well as an Academic All-State squad and an all-sports champion in both the University and College Divisions. Membership to VaSID is open to all media relations professionals working at a university or conference in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Virginia Sports Information Directors 2016 College Division All-State Women's Volleyball Teams:
Player of the Year
Hannah Shields, Averett University
Coach of the Year
Matt Troy, University of Mary Washington
Rookie of the Year
Savannah Powers, University of Mary Washington
All-State First Team
At-Large
Hannah Shields, Averett University
Jen Garrett, Lynchburg College
Emma Olson, University of Mary Washington
Hannah Miller, Christopher Newport University
Mariah Clark, Randolph-Macon College
Mackenzie Shand, Washington and Lee University
Savannah Powers, University of Mary Washington
Libero/Defensive Specialist
Rachel Close, Christopher Newport University
All-State Second Team
At-Large
Erin Quinn, Randolph-Macon College
Cailyn Thomas, Marymount University
Abby Mills, Bridgewater College
Tiffany Barrett, Virginia Wesleyan College
Keenan Marks, Averett University
Meg Guignon, Washington and Lee University
Emileigh Rettig, Marymount University
Maddie McCann, Christopher Newport University
Libero/Defensive Specialist
Macon Frey, Bridgewater College