LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) released the All-Region awards Thursday and eight Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference players earned the recognition.
Trinity University had three athletes recognized, followed by two from both Colorado College and Southwestern University and one from the University of Dallas.
Trinity’s Kirby Smith was the Tigers only first-team honoree, joined by Erika Edrington and Madeline McKay as honorable mention selections.
Smith, a junior outside hitter from Pilot Point, Texas, was named to the team after a stand out season. Smith averaged 3.56 kills and 3.02 digs per set, while hitting .263.
Edrington, a senior setter from Houston, Texas, ranks second in the league in assists per set, averaging 10.31. She has also totaled 290 digs on the year, averaging 2.64 per set. Edrington has helped Trinity to a league-best .235 hitting percentage.
McKay, a junior outside hitter from Lubbock, Texas, recorded 346 kills, 167 digs and 42 total blocks this season.
Southwestern led the league with two honorees on first team, Kate Mitchell and Nikki Welch.
Welch, a senior setter from Austin, Texas, earned her second All-Region selection. She has been in the top five in the nation in total assists all year and is currently leading the nation with 1335 on the year. Welch is fourth nationally in assists per set (10.94) and led the Pirates to a .211 team attack percentage.
Mitchell, a junior outside hitter from Roseville, California, earned her first all-region pick after leading the Pirates offensively. Mitchell is in the top 50 nationally in total kills with 415 on the year. She is hitting .279 this season with 76 blocks and 155 digs.
Colorado College was led by Abbe Holtze, who earned All-Region recognition for the fourth time, and Lizzie Counts, who was named honorable mention.
Holtze, a senior outside hitter from Manhattan Beach, California, leads the Tigers, averaging 3.62 kills, is second at 3.61 digs and fourth at 0.46 blocks per set. Holtze was named the conference’s Player of the Year, and recently broke the CC record for career kills, currently totaling 1,674.
Counts, a freshman from Oakland, California, was one of just two freshmen honored by the AVCA. This season, she tallied 822 assists and posteda .322 attack percentage, while also ranking fourth on the tea with 294 digs and 28 aces.
Dallas’ Jessie Koster rounded out the league’s players, earning honorable mention recognition.
Koster, a senior libero from Sherwood, Oregon, has dominated this season, leading the nation in total digs with 854, and digs per set (7.49). She was also named the league’s Back-Row Player of the Year earlier this month.
