ROCHESTER, N.Y. (November 6, 2013) – The Empire 8 Conference released its women's volleyball yearly awards today and Stevens Institute of Technology swept all four major categories in the conference. Along with that, five student-athletes were named to one of three all-conference teams.
In just his second season at the helm of the Stevens women's volleyball program, head coach
Glenn DeHaven was named the conference's Coach of the Year. DeHaven guided the Ducks to a 26-6 overall record and 7-0 mark in the Empire 8 to secure the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament this weekend in Canavan Arena. Despite a 17-18 ledger in 2012, DeHaven and the Ducks reached the conference championship at Elmira College last fall after starting the season on a 0-9 skid. Since that start in 2012, Stevens has gone a combined 43-15 under the guidance of DeHaven.
Player of the Year honors went to senior
Samantha Gates (Wilmington, N.C.). Gates paced the Empire 8 with 1,100 assists in 110 sets played for an average of 10 helpers per set. She also ranked second in the conference with 61 aces and added 238 digs and 24 blocks. Gates became the program's all-time leader in assists earlier this fall and currently owns 3,466 career assists to her credit. Along with being named Player of the Year, Gates was also a first-team selection.
Junior
Kirsten Salmins (Wyckoff, N.J.) took Libero/Defensive Specialist of the Year after a superb regular season in the back row. Salmins posted 642 digs through 32 matches and 111 sets played, which averages out to 5.78 per set and the 15th best mark in the nation. She recorded the school's single-match digs record against Houghton College on October 12 with 43 in a four-set affair. Salmins also landed on the Empire 8's honorable mention team.
This season's Rookie of the Year went to freshman
Mary Tobin (Boothwyn, Pa.). Tobin led Stevens in points, points per set, kills and kills per set in 100 of the team's 116 sets played. She currently sits at 334 points, 3.34 points per set, 306 kills and 3.06 kills per set heading into the weekend. Tobin began her Stevens career with double-digit kills in 16 of her first 17 matches and a total of 21 in her first campaign. Tobin also took first-team all-conference honors.
Two other members of the Ducks' squad found a place on this season's second-team. Junior
Katie Hall (Midlothian, Va.) and freshman
Christina Sciarra (Montclair, N.J.) played crucial roles for Stevens all season and were awarded for their efforts. Hall was first on the team in hitting percentage (.245), total blocks (79), block assists (63) and solo blocks (16), second in aces (52), third in points (331.5) and fourth in kills with 232. Sciarra was the fourth Duck this season to eclipse 300-plus points with 305 and was third on the team with 278 kills. She was named Empire 8 Rookie of the Week two weeks in a row in late October.
Each of the nine member schools selects a Sportswoman of the Year and Stevens' recipient went to sophomore
Catie Shelton (Central Square, N.Y.). Shelton added depth to the 2013 Ducks as a setter or libero and played in 112 sets with 239 digs, 38 aces and 31 assists.
On Saturday, top-seeded Stevens will take on No. 4 Ithaca College at 12 p.m. in the first semifinal of the conference tournament. If victorious, the Ducks will play the winner of the No. 2/3 matchup between Nazareth College and Elmira College on Sunday at 12 p.m. for an automatic berth to the NCAA Championship.
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Empire 8 2013 Volleyball All-Conference Awards |
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Player of the Year: Samantha Gates, Stevens Institute of Technology |
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Libero/Defensive Specialist of the Year: Kirsten Salmins, Stevens Institute of Technology |
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Rookie of the Year: Mary Tobin, Stevens Institute of Technology |
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Coach of the Year: Glenn DeHaven, Stevens Institute of Technology |
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First Team |
Yr. |
Position |
School |
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Taryn Rumsey |
Sr. |
OH |
Elmira College |
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Hattie Burgher |
So. |
OH |
Houghton College |
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Maria Allocco |
Jr. |
MB |
Nazareth College |
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Kassandra Buseck |
Jr. |
RS/OH |
Nazareth College |
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Rachael Kline |
Sr. |
MB |
St. John Fisher College |
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Samantha Gates |
Sr. |
S |
Stevens Institute of Technology |
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Mary Tobin |
Fr. |
OH |
Stevens Institute of Technology |
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Second Team |
Yr. |
Position |
School |
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Chelsea Hall |
Sr. |
OH |
Alfred University |
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Laurel Wroblicky |
Jr. |
L/DS |
Houghton College |
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Shaelynn Schmidt |
Fr. |
OH/MB |
Ithaca College |
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Madi Wickens |
Fr. |
S |
Nazareth College |
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Christina Sciarra |
Fr. |
OPP |
Stevens Institute of Technology |
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Katie Hall |
Jr. |
OH/MB |
Stevens Institute of Technology |
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Brandi Blaszek |
Fr. |
MH/OH |
Utica College |
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Honorable Mention |
Yr. |
Position |
School |
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Sami Hanes |
So. |
S |
Elmira College |
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Catherine Miller |
Sr. |
L/DS |
Elmira College |
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Dana Martin |
Jr. |
OH |
Hartwick College |
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Hannah Strom |
So. |
OH |
Hartwick College |
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Megan Miller |
So. |
OH |
St. John Fisher College |
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Kirsten Salmins |
Jr. |
L/DS |
Stevens Institute of Technology |
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Sportswoman of the Year |
Yr. |
Position |
School |
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Samantha Wood |
Sr. |
MH |
Alfred University |
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Samantha Hawksley |
So. |
L/DS |
Elmira College |
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Alyssa Zeitler |
Fr. |
L/DS |
Hartwick College |
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Jaime Green |
Sr. |
S |
Houghton College |
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Syline Kim |
Sr. |
RS |
Ithaca College |
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Kathrine Race |
Jr. |
L/DS |
Nazareth College |
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Ali Mann |
Fr. |
S |
St. John Fisher College |
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Catie Shelton |
So. |
S/DS |
Stevens Institute of Technology |
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Chelsea Lauria |
Jr. |
S/RS |
Utica College |
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