BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. -- Wheeling Jesuit setter Andrea Thobe is the Mountain East Conference Player of the Year, Urbana outside hitter Katylnn Dunlap is the Freshman of the Year, and WJU's Christy Benner is the league's Coach of the Year.
Thobe, a sophomore from Sidney, Ohio, directs one of the top attacks in the country as a setter. Wheeling Jesuit is sixth in the nation in hitting percentage at (.276), and Thobe leads the MEC in assists per set (11.61). She is also ranked 12th in the country in that category.
Dunlap, a freshman from Zoarville, Ohio, ranked second in the league in kills per set with 3.73 -- an average that is fourth in the country among all freshmen. She was also second on the squad in digs per set (2.43).
Benner is the MEC Coach of the Year for the second time in as many years after leading WJU to a 32-3 record and a perfect 16-0 mark in conference play en route to the 2014 MEC regular season championship. The Cardinals are currently ranked 10th in the country and have been nationally ranked for the entire season.
WJU led all squads with four first team All-MEC selections. Fairmont State, the regular season runner-up, had two first team selections. Shepherd, UVa-Wise and West Virginia Wesleyan each placed one member on the first team.
The All-MEC teams are selected by a vote of the league's coaches.
|
2014 All-MEC First Team |
|
Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown |
|
OH |
Karley Allen |
UVa-Wise |
So. |
Lanexa, Va. |
|
S |
Tabbie Bias |
Fairmont State |
Sr. |
Barboursville, W.Va. |
|
MB |
Erin Bond |
W.Va. Wesleyan |
Sr. |
Macungie, Pa. |
|
OH/RS |
Valerie Bour |
Shepherd |
Sr. |
Willoughby Hills, Ohio |
|
MB |
Haley Kindall |
Wheeling Jesuit |
So. |
Westerville, Ohio |
|
L |
Makenzie Ripley |
Wheeling Jesuit |
Sr. |
Dennison, Ohio |
|
MB/RS |
Emma Schleucher |
Wheeling Jesuit |
So. |
Findlay, Ohio |
|
L |
Tiff Smathers |
Fairmont State |
Sr. |
Clarion, Pa. |
|
S |
Andrea Thobe |
Wheeling Jesuit |
So. |
Sidney, Ohio |
|
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|
2014 All-MEC Second Team |
|
Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown |
|
OH |
Katlynn Dunlap |
Urbana |
Fr. |
Zoarville, Ohio |
|
RS |
Mackenzie Harrison |
Fairmont State |
Fr. |
Twinsburg, Ohio |
|
RS |
Kayleigh Helgesen |
Shepherd |
Fr. |
Oceanside, Calif. |
|
OH/MB |
Sarah Jones |
Concord |
Sr. |
Woodbridge, Va. |
|
OH |
Kayce Krucki |
Wheeling Jesuit |
So. |
Findlay, Ohio |
|
RS |
Clairissa Larry |
Charleston |
Sr. |
University Hts., Ohio |
|
MB |
Kayla Motheral |
Shepherd |
Sr. |
Sterling, Va. |
|
OH |
Lindsay Shirilla |
Notre Dame |
Jr. |
Twinsburg, Ohio |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2014 All-MEC Honorable Mention |
|
Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown |
|
OH |
Stacie Baumann |
W.Va. Wesleyan |
So. |
Gahanna, Ohio |
|
S |
Taylor Belella |
Shepherd |
Sr. |
Smithburg, Md. |
|
OH |
Hayley Kirby |
W.Va. State |
Sr. |
Mt. Pleasant, Mich. |
|
L |
Courtney Pyeritz |
West Liberty |
Jr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. |
|
L |
Samantha Scroggins |
Shepherd |
Jr. |
Plainfield, Ill. |
|
OH |
Kelsey Volkmer |
Urbana |
Sr. |
Galion, Ohio |
|
OH |
Brytni Willis |
Concord |
Sr. |
Silver Spring, Md. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2014 MEC All-Freshman |
|
Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown |
|
OH |
Alexis Boyd |
West Liberty |
Fr. |
Heath, Ohio |
|
OH |
Katlynn Dunlap |
Urbana |
Fr. |
Zoarville, Ohio |
|
RS |
Mackenzie Harrison |
Fairmont State |
Fr. |
Twinsburg, Ohio |
|
RS |
Kayleigh Helgesen |
Shepherd |
Fr. |
Oceanside, Calif. |
|
MB |
Hannah King |
W.Va. Wesleyan |
Fr. |
Charleston, W.Va. |
|
MB |
Sydney Scherer |
West Liberty |
Fr. |
Brookville, Ohio |
|
OH |
Maddy Smyth |
Wheeling Jesuit |
Fr. |
Toledo, Ohio |
|
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Player of the Year: Andrea Thobe (Wheeling Jesuit) |
|
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Freshman of the Year: Katlynn Dunlap (Urbana) |
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Coach of the Year: Christy Benner (Wheeling Jesuit) |
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2014 All