
You The USA South Athletic Conference has announced its 2018 All-Conference awards for volleyball. Meredith College's Caroline Corey was named the Player of the Year while her coach Fiona Barkley earned Coach of the Year honors. Maryville College's Meredith Bonee collected Rookie of the Year accolades while William Peace University's Emily Braxton named Libero of the Year. Also, the USA South recognized an All-Sportsmanship Team consisting of one member from each competing school.
All awards are voted on by the volleyball coach at each institution. The divisional team voting is completed only by those coaches in the particular division. The all-conference and individual award voting is completed by all coaches.
Corey, a junior outside hitter from Greenville, North Carolina adds her second individual honor of her career after she was named Rookie of the Year in 2016. She is the first Avenging Angel to be named USA South Player of the Year in the sport of volleyball. She currently leads the Conference in points scored per set with 4.3 while also averaging 3.58 kills and 2.81 digs per set with a .225 hitting percentage. Additionally, Corey has added 45 service aces, 23 blocks and 16 assists so far this fall. In matches versus USA South opposition Corey averaged 3.75 kills, 2.86 digs and 4.3 points per set with a .241 hitting percentage. She collects First Team All-Conference and First Team East Division honors for the third consecutive season. Finally, Corey was named USA South Player of the Week twice during the year.
Bonee, a freshman right side hitter/setter from Knoxville, Tennessee, becomes the first Scot to be named USA South Rookie of the Year in the sport of volleyball. She has produced a well-rounded year for her squad as she has averaged 4.68 assists, 2.40 digs and 1.87 kills per set. Bonee has also accumulated 31 service aces and 21 blocks during the fall. Against USA South opposition alone, she upped her kills per set averaged to 2.00 while maintaining her other contributions (4.64 assists and 2.34 digs per set). For her efforts this season, Bonee received First Team All-Conference and First Team West Division honors while being named USA South Rookie of the Week three times.
Braxton, a freshman libero from Willow Spring, North Carolina, becomes the second consecutive Pacer to collect League Libero of the Year honors. She currently has a League-leading 520 total digs, good for a 5.10 digs per set average. Braxon also has contributed 108 assists and 41 service aces thus far. In USA South-only matches, she compiled 257 digs, which equated to a 4.59 per set average, while adding 68 assists and 20 service aces. Braxton was named Second Team East Division this season and was named USA South Defensive Player of the Week once this fall.
Barkley, in her 11th year leading Meredith and one year removed from taking a season away from the bench, earns her first USA South Volleyball Coach of the Year honor. The Avenging Angels captured a share of the USA South's East Division Championship, the program's second regular season title and first since 2014, after posting a 15-1 mark in Conference action. With a current 21-4 overall record, Barkley has led Meredith to fifth consecutive 20-plus win seasons with her on the sideline. Barkley now takes the Avenging Angels into the USA South Tournament semifinals as the East's top seed and host, looking to capture the tournament title for the second time in three years.
Player of the Year | Rookie of the Year | Libero of the Year | Coach of the Year |
![]() Caroline Corey Meredith |
![]() Meredith Bonee Maryville |
![]() Emily Braxton William Peace |
![]() Fiona Barkley Meredith |
The 2018 USA South Volleyball All-Conference Team:
First Team All-Conference | |||
Meredith Bonee, Maryville Caroline Corey, Meredith Jazzlyn Kenner, LaGrange Brienna Laskowski, William Peace Mya Parks, William Peace Brittany Ter Meer, Methodist Amy Tyma, Huntingdon |
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First Team East Division | Second Team East Division | First Team West Division | Second Team West Division |
Caroline Corey, Meredith Sha'Nice Frazier, William Peace Brienna Laskowski, William Peace McKenzie Miller, Averett Mya Parks, William Peace Haley Reeg, Meredith Brittany Ter Meer, Methodist |
Emily Braxton, William Peace Alonna Clouse, Pfeiffer Madison Dadez, Averett Cathy Delano, Meredith Sarah Egbers, Greensboro Taylor Moulton, Salem Jasmine Tapscott, Methodist |
Meredith Bonee, Maryville Alexis Creasman, Huntingdon Jazzlyn Kenner, LaGrange Sophie Puertas, Covenant Alina Roberts, Piedmont Brianne Sidner, Maryville Amy Tyma, Huntingdon |
Kaitlyn Carter, Huntingdon Cece Cogliano, Piedmont Addison Genard, Huntingdon Hannah Harris, Covenant Mimi Loftus, LaGrange Emily Moore, Covenant Alexa Spurling, Covenant |
All-Sportsmanship Team La'i Galoia, Agnes Scott Emily Stanley, Averett Eliza Lavin, Berea Brittany Franks, Brevard Olivia Sanders, Covenant Jordan Ware, Greensboro Nichole LeFevre, Huntingdon Yasmin Roper, LaGrange Savanna McGavock, Mary Baldwin Taylor Youell, Maryville Haley Reeg, Meredith Samantha Spooner, Methodist Callie Cline, N.C. Wesleyan Lea Hilton, Pfeiffer Kaitlyn Loesel, Piedmont Corrin Shores, Salem Madison Myers, William Peace |