Sampson, Vuylsteke, Snider and Soboleski Earn PSAC West Volleyball Major Awards, All-Conference Teams Released
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced the 2021 All-Conference teams and major award winners from the PSAC West Thursday. Gannon University’s Lauren Sampson was Athlete of the Year, Hannah Vuylsteke of Mercyhurst University was Defensive Athlete of the Year, Cassidy Snider of Clarion University was Rookie of the Year and Missy Soboleski of Edinboro University earned Coach of the Year.
The all-conference and major award winners are determined by a vote of the league’s head coaches.
This season, the all-conference teams were a first and second team from both the PSAC East and West consisting of eight players each.
Gannon’s Lauren Sampson was huge for the Golden Knights this season and in the conference. She earns athlete of the year following a season in which she was second in the league in kills per set (3.77), fifth in total kills (313), and was an impressive third in the league in acess per set at 0.51. She was a huge component in a season where Gannon was 26-5 overall and 13-3 in league matches.
Mercyhurst’s Hannah Vuylsteke earned defensive athlete of the year ranking second in the conference in digs (576), third in digs per set (5.38) and helped offensively quite a bit with the second-most service aces in the conference with 60.
Earning rookie of the year honors was Clarion’s Cassidy Snider. Snider, a true freshman, will likely be successful in the league for the next few years with the impressive first season she put together. She ranked 10th in NCAA DII in kills per set averaging 4.24 and was seventh in DII in total kills with 432. Her total kills and kills per set numbers are both first in the conference. She is also first in the league in total points with 451.
Concluding the major award winners is coach of the year from Edinboro, Missy Soboleski. Sobeleski aided Boro to a 21-6 overall record and a 13-3 mark in league play. The Fighting Scots ranked third in the league in attack percentage (.204), fourth in opponent hitting percentage (.129) and third in the league in assists per set (12.08).
As for the all-conference teams, Gannon led the West in all-conference members with four. This year’s teams also had a trio of repeat all-conference honorees.
Full list of all-conference players is below:
PSAC WEST
Athlete of the Year: Lauren Sampson, Gannon
Defensive Athlete of the Year: Hannah Vuylsteke, Mercyhurst
Rookie of the Year: Cassidy Snider, Clarion
Coach of the Year: Missy Soboleski, Edinboro
PSAC VOLLEYBALL WESTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
| Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| Bella Burrelli |
Edinboro |
Jr. |
New Castle, Pa. / Neshannock |
| London Fuller |
Clarion |
Jr. |
Baltimore, Md. / Baltimore Polytechnic |
| Alicia Eldredge+ |
Edinboro |
Sr. |
Odenton, Md. / Arundel |
| Ashley McClung+ |
Gannon |
Sr. |
Charleston, W.Va. / George Washington |
| Lauren Sampson^ |
Gannon |
Sr. |
Hilliard, Ohio / Hilliard Davidson |
| Cassidy Snider |
Clarion |
Fr. |
Harmonsburg, Pa. / Conneaut Area |
| Caroline Walsh |
Indiana (Pa.) |
Jr. |
Nazareth, Pa. / Nazareth Area |
| Hannah Vuylsteke |
Mercyhurst |
R-Sr. |
Hamilton, Ontario / Bishop Ryan Catholic |
PSAC VOLLEYBALL WESTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
| Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| Ashley Beyers |
Gannon** |
R-Sr. |
Lanark, Ill, Eastland |
| Beth Brady |
Mercyhurst |
Sr. |
Cleveland, Ohio / Saint Joseph Academy |
| Lauren Gechter |
Pitt-Johnstown |
Sr. |
Wyomissing, Pa. / Wyomissing |
| Maggie Greenfield |
Gannon |
R-Jr. |
Woodstock, Ontario / Woodstock Collegiate Institute |
| Chelsea Howard |
California (Pa.) |
Jr. |
Atlanta, Ga. / North Atlanta |
| Sarah Moehring |
California (Pa.) |
Sr. |
Palm City, Fla. / Martin County |
| Nicole Peterson |
Indiana (Pa.) |
Jr. |
Cleveland, Ohio / Brea-Midpark |
| Julia Piccolino |
Clarion |
Jr. |
North Versailles, Pa. / Serra Catholic |
* Indicates previous All-PSAC first team selection
^ Indicates previous All-PSAC second team selection
+ Indicates previous All-PSAC third team selection
ABOUT THE PSAC
Headquartered in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference is an NCAA Division II Conference comprised of 18 institutions in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The member institutions are Bloomsburg University, California University of Pennsylvania, Clarion University, East Stroudsburg University, Edinboro University, Gannon University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown University, Lock Haven University, Mansfield University, Mercyhurst University, Millersville University, The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Seton Hill University, Shepherd University, Shippensburg University, Slippery Rock University and West Chester University.