PULASKI, Tenn. - The TranSouth All-Conference volleyball teams were announced on Monday during the opening day of the 2011 TranSouth Conference Volleyball Championships.
For the second year in a row, Thaise Vieira of Bethel (Tenn.) University was named the TranSouth Conference Player of the Year. The senior from Matozinhos, Brazil, led the conference in kills (368) and kills per set (3.4) and was second in blocks per set (1.1). She also ranked in the top 10 in digs average at 3.1 per set.
Vieira's teammate Sashalee Wallen was named the TranSouth Conference Newcomer of the Year. The junior from Kingston, Jamaica, topped the conference in blocks per set (1.3) and was fifth in attack percentage (.267) while amassing 267 kills.
Union (Tenn.) University's Savannah Hughes was name the TranSouth Freshman of the Year. The outside hitter from Jonesboro, Ark., had 280 kills (2.8/set).
Bethel's Starla Cupples and Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) University's Todd Humphry shared TranSouth Coach of the Year honors after their teams finished the season tied atop the conference standings as regular season co-champions. It is Cupples' first coach of the year award while Humphry earns his fourth.
Freed-Hardeman led the way in all-conference selections with five, four first-teamers and one second-teamer. Bethel followed with four selections while Union and Martin Methodist (Tenn.) College had three.
2011 TRANSOUTH CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL AWARDS
Player of the Year: Thaise Vieira, Bethel University
Newcomer of the Year: Sashalee Wallen, Bethel University
Freshman of the Year: Savannah Hughes, Union University
Coach of the Year: Starla Cupples, Bethel University/Todd Humphry,Freed-Hardeman University
First Team All-Conference
Thaise Vieira, Bethel University
Fernanda Ferreira, Freed-Hardeman University
Sydney Rice, Freed-Hardeman University
Anna Sims, Union University
Sashelee Wallen, Bethel University
Nataly Gutierrez, Freed-Hardeman University
Emmie Moroski, Union University
Sandra Montoya, Freed-Hardeman University
Ann-Kathrin Kuehorn, Martin Methodist College
Savannah Hughes, Union University
Suzanne Fincham, Lyon College
Pollyanna Vitel, Bethel University
Second Team All-Conference
Mackenzie Gass, Cumberland University
Jenavera Gibson, Mid-Continent University
Brooke Bowers, Cumberland University
Precious Sanders, Martin Methodist College
Amber Turner, Freed-Hardeman University
Adrianna Bookout-Gonzalez, Bethel University
Katie Perry, Mid-Continent University
Paula Sioto, Martin Methodist College
Honorable Mention All-Conference
Chelsea Hinton, Lyon College
Shelby Phenix, Bethel University
Amanda Deem, Union University
Ariel Smith, Lyon College
Uli Gebhardt, Martin Methodist College
Christiana Sindelar, Mid-Continent University
Lauren Carter, Cumberland University
#TRANSOUTH#
The TranSouth Athletic Conference (TSAC) is an NAIA conference of nine colleges and universities throughout Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Arkansas. Since 1996, the mission of the TSAC is to promote the education and development of well-rounded students and productive citizens through intercollegiate athletics. The conference offers equitable access and opportunities for participation in its 13 championships held annually.
Today, the TranSouth strengthens its commitment to student-athletes and strives to enrich their college experience by supporting academic achievement and character development through the NAIA's Champions of Character program. The NAIA's innovative flagship program is designed to instill character values in student-athletes, coaches and youth in the communities it serves.
