Gannon's Hannah Kren Tabbed PSAC Volleyball Athlete of the Year
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- Gannon senior Hannah Kren has been tabbed the PSAC Volleyball Athlete of the Year while her coach, Matt Darling, earned PSAC Volleyball Coach of the Year by a vote of the league’s head coaches, the conference office announced Thursday afternoon in conjunction with the release of the all-conference volleyball teams.
Kren landed on an all-conference team for the fourth time in her career after earning Freshman of the Year accolades in 2013. The Waukesha, Wis., product averaged 3.44 points per set and started 30 of Gannon’s 31 matches. She is the second Lady Knight to garner the award (Lauren Sazama, 2012). The senior amassed 307 kills and 17 aces.
Darling earned his third PSAC Coach of the Year award (2009 & 2012) after Gannon posted a 27-3 regular season mark and claimed the No. 1 seed in the PSAC Volleyball Tournament after sporting a 16-2 conference record. Following a 3-0 win against No. 8 West Chester in a quarterfinal, the Lady Knights host the semifinals and final this weekend. Three Gannon players sit in the top 10 in hitting percentage.
Pitt.-Johnstown junior Devan Orr grabbed her third consecutive PSAC Defensive Player of the Year award and lands on the all-conference first-team for the second time in her career. The Carol Stream, Ill., native was fifth in digs per set (5.37) and fourth in service aces (43). Her 601 digs are the fourth-most in the league. UPJ earned the No. 3 seed after posting a 15-3 conference mark and sporting a perfect 10-0 record at home.
Shippensburg’s Samantha Webber claimed PSAC Freshman of the Year recognition after tying for third in blocks (95). She is the fifth Raider to earn the accolade and first since 2012. Webber averaged 2.38 kills per set and 2.93 points per set. The freshman recorded a block assist in every match but three and produced a season-high eight total blocks against Ohio Valley (Oct. 22).
Shippensburg senior Maura Nolan earned all-conference recognition for the fourth time in career while UPJ’s Marissa Erminio, Cambria Wierman, and Kendall Mahony joined Clarion’s Mackenzie Biggs on an all-conference team for third time.
UPJ paced the league with five selections while Gannon, Edinboro and West Chester turned in four representatives each. California and Shippensburg placed three members while IUP and Clarion notched two. Slippery Rock, Mercyhurst and Seton Hill have one representative apiece.
Athlete of the Year: Hannah Kren, Gannon
Defensive Player of the Year: Devan Orr, Pitt.-Johnstown
Freshman of the Year: Samantha Webber, Shippensburg
Coach of the Year: Matt Darling, Gannon
PSAC VOLLEYBALL FIRST-TEAM ALL CONFERENCE
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| OH |
Kelsey Ansec |
Gannon |
Jr. |
Solon, Ohio / Solon |
| OH |
Marissa Erminio*^ |
Pitt.-Johnstown |
R-Jr. |
Hopwood, Pa. / Laurel Highlands |
| MH |
Victoria Severo^ |
Edinboro |
Sr. |
Meadville, Pa. / Charleston (W. Va.) |
| S/OPP |
Sydney Trathen* |
Edinboro |
Jr. |
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio / Stow Munroe Falls |
| OH |
Danielle Hayes |
California |
Sr. |
Erie, Pa. / McDowell |
| OH |
Natalie Cignetti^ |
IUP |
Jr. |
Indiana, Pa. / Indiana |
| OH |
Hannah Kren^** |
Gannon |
Sr. |
Waukesha, Wis. / Wisconsin Lutheran |
| S |
Maura Nolan^^* |
Shippensburg |
Sr. |
Wexford, Pa. / North Allegheny |
| DS |
Devan Orr^* |
Pitt.-Johnstown |
Jr. |
Carol Stream, Ill. / West Chicago |
| MH |
Seairra Barrett |
California |
So. |
Center Twp., Pa. / Central Valley |
PSAC VOLLEYBALL SECOND-TEAM ALL CONFERENCE
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| RS |
Beka Smith |
Gannon |
R-Jr. |
Churchville, N.Y. / Churchville-Chili |
| OH/RS |
Annie Goerl |
Shippensburg |
Sr. |
Hummelstown, Pa. / Lower Dauphin |
| RS |
Mackenzie Biggs^* |
Clarion |
Sr. |
Aliquippa, Pa. / Hopewell |
| MH |
Kendall Mahony** |
Pitt.-Johnstown |
Jr. |
Yorktown, Va. / Grafton |
| OH/L |
Challen Litwiler* |
Edinboro |
Jr. |
Harmonsburg, Pa. / Conneaut Area |
| MB |
Lauren Beck |
Gannon |
Sr. |
Chardon, Ohio / N.D.-Cathederal Latin |
| OH |
Taylor Braunagel^ |
Clarion |
Jr. |
Milford, Pa. / Delaware Valley |
| OH |
Cassie Hausfeld* |
Seton Hill |
Sr. |
Dublin, Ohio / Dublin Coffman |
| DS |
Nicki Yates |
West Chester |
So. |
Coopersburg, Pa. / Southern Lehigh |
| OH |
Cambria Wierman** |
Pitt.-Johnstown |
Jr. |
Hanover, Pa. / Dalone Catholic |
PSAC VOLLEYBALL THIRD-TEAM ALL CONFERENCE
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| S |
Lindsay Moeller |
IUP |
Sr. |
Troy, Mich. / Troy |
| OH |
Maura Brehl |
Pitt.-Johnstown |
So. |
York, Pa. / York Suburban |
| MH |
Latoya Hutchinson |
Edinboro |
Sr. |
Calgary, Canada / Father Lacombe |
| S |
Jillian Grammer^ |
West Chester |
So. |
Center Valley, Pa. / Southern Lehigh |
| DS |
Courtney Oberlander |
Slippery Rock |
Jr. |
Waterford, Pa. / Seton Hill |
| S |
Megan Litoborski |
California |
Sr. |
Lemont, Ill. / Lemont |
| OH |
Morgan DeFloria |
Shippensburg |
So. |
Greensburg, Pa. / Hempfield Area |
| OH |
Karleigh Lutz |
West Chester |
Jr. |
Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Cumberland Valley |
| MB |
Victoria Cruciani |
West Chester |
Jr. |
Phoenixville, Pa. / Pope John Paul II |
| OPP |
Lauren Kenny |
Mercyhurst |
Sr. |
Erie, Pa. / Mercyhurst Prep |
* Indicates a previous selection to the All-PSAC First Team
^ Indicates a previous selection to the All-PSAC Second Team