Conference Carolinas Unveils 2022 Women’s Volleyball All-Conference Honors
GREENVILLE, S.C. - Conference Carolinas has unveiled its 2022 women's volleyball all-conference honors as chosen by the league's head coaches on Thursday, Nov. 10.
Abigail Durham of North Greenville was named the Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, Taylor Roberts of West division champion Emmanuel repeated as Defensive Player of the Year, Chowan's Diana Rodriguez was the Freshman of the Year and Emmanuel head coach James Friddle was named Coach of the Year.
A senior from Easley, South Carolina, Durham was the offensive catalyst for the Crusaders as she averaged a league-best 4.0 kills per set (256 total kills) in 64 league sets this season. She also led the league in points per set at 4.45 per set as she totaled 285 points during conference play. Overall, Durham led the league in total kills (380) and was second in kills per set (3.58). She hit .240 during the regular season and is third in the league in points per set at 4.04. The right-side is the only women's volleyball player from North Greenville to win the award and the first in conference history to win back-to-back Offensive Player of the Year awards since it began in 2012.
Roberts is the second Lion to ever win the Defensive Player of the Year honor (Aysha Avery, 2018) and the third player in league history to win in back-to-back seasons dating back to 2012. The senior middle blocker from Rome, Georgia averaged 85 total blocks (1.47 per set) and hit .422 in league contests, both conference-best marks in 57 league sets. Overall, Roberts hit .416 in 100 sets this season with 271 kills and tallied 126 total blocks for a 1.26 average per set.
A freshman libero from Tijuana, Mexico, Rodriguez impressed in her first season in Conference Carolinas as she collected a league-best 440 total digs for a 7.72 per set average in 57 league sets. Overall, Rodriguez dug 634 balls in 98 sets for a 6.47 average this season, both conference-best marks. She is the first women's volleyball player from Chowan to earn a major postseason honor.
In his fifth year as the head coach for the Lions, Friddle earned Coach of the Year honors for the first time as he led the Lions to their third division title in five seasons as the top-seed in the west division. Emmanuel is 23-7 overall, 17-1 in league play and earned a regional ranking for the first time in program history at No. 8. The Lions have played well both offensively and defensively as they lead the league in opponent hitting percentage (.140) and in hitting percentage (.239).
2022 Conference Carolinas Women's Volleyball All-Conference
Offensive Player of the Year
Abigail Durham, North Greenville
Defensive Player of the Year
Taylor Roberts, Emmanuel
Freshman of the Year
Diana Rodriguez, Chowan
Coach of the Year
James Friddle, Emmanuel
First Team
Taylor Roberts, Emmanuel
Abigail Durham, North Greenville
Amara Eziakonwa, Mount Olive
Paige Campbell, North Greenville
Brianna Warren, UNC Pembroke
Morgan Prots, Mount Olive (Libero)
Gabrielle McGlamery, Emmanuel (Setter)
Second Team
Alaina Emminger, Emmanuel
Allison Gambill, Barton
Emily Hanson, Emmanuel
Hailee Blankenship, King
Vanja Przulj, UNC Pembroke
Diana Rodriguez, Chowan (Libero)
Ashlyn Conner, North Greenville (Setter)
Third Team
Meredith Hollinger, Erskine
Jasmine Finkley, Converse
Shannon Skryd, UNC Pembroke
Kalee Peter, Francis Marion
Sydney Stigler, Lees-McRae
Whitley Kahler, North Greenville (Libero)
Kaylee Gillespie, Francis Marion (Setter)