UAPB’s Howard named First-Team All-SWAC in volleyball while Sahlmann earns Second-Team honors

Junior outside hitter Kendalle Howard earned First-Team All-SWAC honors in volleyball and led the conference in kills per set. Howard ends season as SWAC leader in kills per set at 2.97

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference revealed its 2018 postseason volleyball honors, with Alabama State’s Candace Martin and Alabama A&M’s Maya Evans, Megan Evans and Alana Cox taking home individual accolades. The teams and award winners were determined in a vote among the league’s coaches and sports information directors. Junior outside hitter Kendalle Howard was the lone Lady Lion to earn First-Team All-SWAC honors as she was one of four first-team selections for outside/right side hitter. Howard led the conference in kills per set at 2.97. Teammate junior setter Britney Sahlmann earned Second-Team All-SWAC honors as one of two second-team selections for setter. Sahlmann finished the season third in the conference in assists per set with 8.15 and third in total assists with 807. She is the career assist leader for UAPB.

The SWAC all-conference teams consist of 18 student-athletes split across two teams.

For the first time since 2014, the SWAC awarded Co-Player of the Year, with Martin and Ma. Evans sharing the honors after establishing themselves as two of the league’s premier two-way players. Martin, a 6’0 senior middle blocker from Memphis, Tenn. put down 212 kills on a strong .276 attack percentage, the latter ranking third in the league. Additionally, the defensive force led the SWAC in total blocks (112).

Ma. Evans, a 6’1 middle hitter from Houston, led the league in hitting percentage by a significant margin, converting a sparkling .382 of her attacks into kills. The sophomore collected 247 putdowns with 74 total blocks, 31 service aces and 60 digs, accumulating 307 total points. The four-time SWAC Setter of the Week winner posted 15 matches where she accumulated an attack percentage of .400 or better, and 11 matches with a .500 hit clip.

Me. Evans claimed Setter of the Year and Newcomer of the Year honors, after orchestrating a Lady Bulldogs attack that paced the league in most every significant statistical category. The 6’0 sophomore dished out 1019 total assists – a figure that ranks No. 2 in the conference – and averaged a league-best 8.86 helpers per frame. Posting 18 matches with 30 or more assists on the season, the Houston native also picked up 186 digs and was a factor offensively with 84 kills on a.317 attack percentage and 32 service aces.

Cox was named the 2018 SWAC Freshman of the Year. Amassing 313 total kills on a .208 hit percentage, the 6’0 hitter from Madison, Ala. ranks in the top five of league standings for kills per set and points per set. On defense, she added 122 digs and 76 total blocks.

Augustine was named Libero of the Year for the second-straight season. The senior posted 392 digs, good for fourth-most in the SWAC. She averaged the third-most digs per set (3.66), and posted 20 matches with 10 or more digs. Augustine is the first player since Southern’s Diamond Williams (2014-15) to garner consecutive top libero honors.

First-Team All-SWAC Volleyball
Outside/Right Side Hitter: Terra Brooks, Alabama A&M
Outside/Right Side Hitter: Bayle’ Bennett, Alabama State
Outside/Right Side Hitter: Jaelin Gant, Alabama A&M
Outside/Right Side Hitter: Kendalle Howard, UAPB
Middle Hitter/Blocker: Maya Evans, Alabama A&M
Middle Hitter/Blocker: Candace Martin, Alabama State
Setter: Megan Evans, Alabama A&M
Setter: Kori Kutsch, Alabama State
Libero/Defensive Specialist: Christen Augustine, Prairie View A&M

Second-Team All-SWAC Volleyball
Outside/Right Side Hitter: Alana Cox, Alabama A&M
Outside/Right Side Hitter: Krysta Medearis, Alabama State
Outside/Right Side Hitter: Tielar Richards, Jackson State
Outside/Right Side Hitter: Eboni Mitchell, Texas Southern
Middle Hitter/Blocker: Marina Bianchi Brito, Jackson State
Middle Hitter/Blocker: Kirby Anderson, Texas Southern
Setter: Britney Sahlmann, UAPB
Setter: Breyanna York, Texas Southern
Libero/Defensive Specialist: Markayshia Masani, Jackson State

SWAC Co-Player of the Year
Candace Martin, Alabama State
Maya Evans, Alabama A&M SWAC

SWAC Setter and Newcomer of the Year
Megan Evans, Alabama A&M

SWAC Libero of the Year
Christen Augustin, Prairie View A&M

SWAC Freshman of the Year
Alana Cox, Alabama A&M

courtesy of www.swac.org