Millersville's Suseland Garners PSAC Volleyball Athlete of the Year Accolades
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- Millersville senior Jayci Suseland was voted the 2019 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Volleyball Athlete of the Year, the league announced Thursday afternoon in conjunction with the release of the all-conference volleyball teams.
All-conference teams and major award winners are decided by a vote of the league’s head coaches.
Suseland is the sixth Marauder to claim the award and first since 2001 (Annie Beck). Suseland is one of three PSAC athletes with over 400 kills on the season (441). The senior is tied for the league lead in hitting percentage (.330) and is fourth in kills per set (3.83). She is fourth in total points (487.5). Suseland was named Southeast Volleyball Athlete of the Week on three occasions and turned in double-digit kills in all but four matches. The Marauder turned in a season-high 21 kills in a five-set thrilling victory against Seton Hill (Sep. 28). Defensively, Suseland has accumulated 75 total blocks and 63 digs this season.
East Stroudsburg junior Trea-sure Ketter was named Defensive Athlete of the Year. She is the first Warrior to garner the accolade. Ketter has pestered offenses all season while she leads all of NCAA DII in total blocks (158), block assists (146) and blocks per set (1.52). The junior has turned in seven matches of at least seven block assists. Ketter has produced three matches with double-digit block assists, including a season-high 12 in a five-set win against Clarion (Sep. 27). Ketter powered East Stroudsburg’s defensive effort against Seton Hill while turning in 10 block assists and two solo blocks while the Warriors claimed a 3-1 PSAC Quarterfinal win.
Shepherd’s Elyssia Smith was tabbed Freshman of the Year. She is the first Ram athlete to earn a major award in any sport since Shepherd transitioned to the PSAC in July 2019. Smith sits seventh in the league in blocks per set (1.01). She leads the Rams in solo blocks (25), block assists (71) and total blocks (96). The freshman has turned in five or more blocks on 13 occasions this season. Offensively, she has accumulated 146 kills and a hitting percentage of .244. Smith turned in a season-high 11 kills in a five-set win against West Chester (Nov. 15).
East Stroudsburg’s Kevin Rodgers was selected as Coach of the Year for the first time in his career. He is the third Warrior coach to claim the award and first since 2000 (John Greenlee). East Stroudsburg is appearing in consecutive PSAC postseasons for the first time 2000-01. Under his direction, a trio of Warriors were named to an all-conference team. He has guided East Stroudsburg to consecutive 20+ win seasons for the first since 1996-97. The Warriors sit third in NCAA DII in opponent hitting percentage (.093). East Stroudsburg leads the conference and is tied for third in DII in blocks per set (2.60). The Warriors are set to battle No. 2 Shippensburg in a PSAC Semifinal Friday, Nov. 22 at 5 p.m. in Erie, Pa.
Six athletes are appearing on their third all-conference team in their respective careers.
A full list of honorees is below.
PSAC Volleyball Major Award Winners
Athlete of the Year: Jayci Suseland, Millersville
Defensive Player of the Year: Trea-sure Ketter, East Stroudsburg
Freshman of the Year: Elyssia Smith, Shepherd
Coach of the Year: Kevin Rodgers, East Stroudsburg
PSAC VOLLEYBALL FIRST-TEAM ALL CONFERENCE
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| S |
Ashley Beyers* |
Gannon |
Jr. |
Lanark, Ill. / Eastland |
| OH |
Viktoria Farian*+ |
Seton Hill |
Jr. |
Richfield, Ohio / Revere |
| S |
Emily Hangen*^ |
Shippensburg |
Jr. |
Reading, Pa. / Exeter Township |
| OH |
Julia Holden*+ |
Clarion |
Sr. |
Brunswich, Ohio / Brunswick |
| MB |
Ashley Kerestes+ |
Gannon |
Jr. |
Loves Park, Ill. / Rockford Lutheran |
| OH |
Peyton Lindblad |
Shepherd |
Sr. |
Spotsylvania, Va. / Riverbend |
| OH |
Ally Smith^ |
Gannon |
Sr. |
Penfield, N.Y. / Webster Schroeder |
| OH |
Sarah Smith*+ |
East Stroudsburg |
Sr. |
Circleville, N.Y. / Pine Bush |
| OH |
Jayci Suseland* |
Millersville |
Sr. |
Schoolcraft, Mich. / Schoolcraft |
| MB |
Samantha Webber*^ |
Shippensburg |
Sr. |
Breinigsville, Pa. / Parkland |
PSAC VOLLEYBALL SECOND-TEAM ALL CONFERENCE
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| DS |
Alyssa Cianciulli |
Bloomsburg |
Jr. |
Royersford, Pa. / Pope-John Paul II |
| RS |
Sam Dunphy |
East Stroudsburg |
Sr. |
Camp Hill, Pa. / Cedar Cliff |
| OH |
Cambriea Hill |
Shepherd |
Sr. |
Columbia, Md. / Hammond |
| OH |
Cierah Jackson^^ |
Edinboro |
Jr. |
Berea, Ohio / Padua Franciscan |
| OH |
Gabriella Johnson |
Shippensburg |
Sr. |
Mohnton, Pa. / Governor Mifflin |
| MB |
Trea-sure Ketter |
East Stroudsburg |
Jr. |
Sharon Hill, Pa. / Academy Park |
| S |
Katie Laughman |
Millersville |
Sr. |
New Oxford, Pa. / Delone Catholic |
| L |
Imani Major |
Shepherd |
Sr. |
Gainsville, Va. / Millbrook |
| OH |
Lauren Sampson* |
Gannon |
So. |
Hilliard, Ohio / Hilliard Davidson |
| MH |
Caitlin Vrabel^ |
Pitt-Johnstown |
Sr. |
Chambersburg, Pa. / Chambersburg |
PSAC VOLLEYBALL THIRD-TEAM ALL CONFERENCE
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| OH |
Katie Baird+ |
Mercyhurst |
Sr. |
North Royalton, Ohio / North Royalton |
| OH |
Lindsey Blevins^ |
Millersville |
Jr. |
Red Lion, Pa. / Red Lion |
| DS |
Erin Carmody |
Pitt-Johnstown |
So. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / North Allegheny |
| S |
Alicia Eldredge |
Edinboro |
So. |
Odenton, Md. / Arundel |
| DS |
Megan Forstburg |
Shippensburg |
Sr. |
Macungie, Pa. / Emmaus |
| MB |
Kendall Johnson |
Shippensburg |
Sr. |
Chesterfield, Va. / James River |
| OH |
Toni Leitshuh |
Gannon |
Sr. |
Manhattan, Ill. / Lincoln-Way Central |
| OH |
Jillian Livorse |
Seton Hill |
Sr. |
Willoughby, Ohio / Willoughby South |
| S |
Ashley McClung^ |
Gannon |
So. |
Charleston, W.Va. / George Washington |
| OH |
Holly Owen |
Kutztown |
Jr. |
Hatboro, Pa. / Hatboro-Horsham |
* Indicates previous All-PSAC first team selection
^ Indicates previous All-PSAC second team selection
+ Indicates previous All-PSAC third team selection