November 19, 2014

Wilson and Harper honored on All-Region teams from Daktronics

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Carson-Newman Eagles placed two players on the Daktronics All-Southeast Region team for the first time since 2010 as announced Wednesday afternoon. Senior middle blocker Jenna Wilson (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) was a first team pick while senior outside hitter Rachel Harper (Chattanooga, Tenn.) earned a spot on the second team.

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Carson-Newman Eagles placed two players on the Daktronics All-Southeast Region team for the first time since 2010 as announced Wednesday afternoon. Senior middle blocker Jenna Wilson (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) was a first team pick while senior outside hitter Rachel Harper (Chattanooga, Tenn.) earned a spot on the second team.

The Eagles had not had a player named to the team since Nikki James was tabbed following the 2011 season. Carly Mozgai was a first team pick in 2010 while James earned an honorable mention selection.

"I think that it says that people are starting to respect us as a team," Harper said. "I think it says a lot about coach and how far he has brought us. It's nice to be honored as individuals but it is so much more for the team that's getting recognized in the region."

Wilson and Harper led the Eagles a 26-2 overall record and a 20-2 South Atlantic Conference record. The 26 wins are the second-most in program history while the 20 SAC wins are the most ever by a volleyball team in school history. The duo has taken Carson-Newman to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in program history and first time since 2010.

Wilson's 3.9 points per set were fourth in the SAC while her 3.20 kills per set were fifth-best. Blocking has been her forte as her 134 total blocks led the SAC and rank 13th nationally and her 1.18 blocks per set are good for 21st in the country. The middle blocker has been highly efficient as her .388 attack percentage ranks 13^th among Division II players. It's a mark that will shatter the previous high from a Carson-Newman player set by Katie Troyer's .317 in 2008. Wilson has accumulated double-digit kills on 22 occasions while posting 20 or more a team-high four times. She was a first team All-SAC selection and a member of the All-SAC Tournament team.

"It's a huge honor and it's really humbling," Wilson said. "It's nice to be known as one of the best in the region. I'm really happy and honored."

Harper led the conference with 4.4 points per set, a number that ranked 30^th nationally, and 3.62 kills per set led the league this year while her 51 service aces rank fourth and are the 37^th-best tally nationally. Her 3.62 kills per set would be the fifth-highest total for a single season in program history if the season ended today. The outside hitter has crossed the 1,000 kills and 1,000 dig plateaus this season while she has brought her career service ace total to 129, fourth-most in program history. Harper has racked up 14 double-doubles this season including 18 kills and a career-high 29 digs in her last match against Anderson (S.C.).

"It's all or nothing from here on out," Harper said. "We knew there was a chance it could be over [after the Anderson match]. I really think that it taught us that every point matters and every game matters from here on out. I think that it did fire us up a little more."

The team is sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition.

The sixth-seeded Eagles will take on the third-seeded USC Aiken Pacers Thursday at noon in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

2014 Daktronics NCAA Division II All-Southeast Region Volleyball Team

First Team

Pos Name School Yr Hometown

OH Ashley Diedrich USC Aiken Sr. Orlando, Fla.

OH Summer Kremer King (Tenn.) Sr. Mills River, N.C.

OH ^Stephanie Sfara Armstrong State Sr. Boardman, Ohio

MH ^Hailey Pittman Anderson (SC) Sr. Orlando, Fla.

MH Jenna Wilson Carson-Newman Sr. Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

L Morgan Hill Armstrong State Sr. West Palm Beach, Fla.

S Kamryn Sherman Armstrong Sr. Ponte Vedra, Fla.

Second Team