December 3, 2014

Wilson becomes first C-N volleyball All-American

LEXINGTON Ky. – Senior middle blocker Jenna Wilson (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) became the first All-American in Carson-Newman volleyball history Wednesday afternoon as the AVCA announced their All-American teams with Wilson being placed on the Honorable Mention group.

2014 Daktronics All-American List

LEXINGTON Ky. – Senior middle blocker Jenna Wilson (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) became the first All-American in Carson-Newman volleyball history Wednesday afternoon as the AVCA and Daktronics announced their All-American teams with Wilson being placed on the Honorable Mention group.

Wilson's 3.9 points per set were fourth in the SAC while her 3.20 kills per set were fifth-best. Blocking was her forte as her 134 total blocks led the SAC and rank 13th nationally and her 1.17 blocks per set are good for 23rd in the country. The middle blocker was highly efficient as her .388 attack percentage ranks 11th among Division II players. It's a mark that shattered the previous high from a Carson-Newman player set by Katie Troyer's .317 in 2008. Wilson has accumulated double-digit kills on 23 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. Wilson won the conference's Player of the Week honor twice while earning the Tennessee Sportswriters Association Volleyball Player of the Week on October 21.

"I think we're only going to get better from here," Wilson said. "I think there are going to a few more All-Americans to come in the near future. I'm just really grateful for this team and this program. I know I couldn't have gotten this award without them, their support and their skill."

Wilson began her career at the University of California, Santa Barbara but made the most of her final year of eligibility while playing for Carson-Newman.

"I started playing club volleyball in fifth grade," Wilson said. "I remember growing up that people would always say that 'she has so much potential' and I always felt like I never reached it, but I feel like now with the way everything has gone, I reached it. My time in Santa Barabara and with Kathy Gregory as the head coach really developed me into the player that I have been here. I'm really thankful for the path that life has given me and that God has brought me through."

The 2014 season marked the 26^th year of competition for Carson-Newman volleyball. The team won the second most games in program history at 27, recorded the fewest losses at seven, tallied the first sweep in NCAA Tournament play, ventured the furthest in NCAA Tournament play by reaching the Regional Semifinal, notched the most wins in South Atlantic Conference play at 20, finished undefeated in SAC road games at 11-0 and placed the most players on a postseason All-Conference team with five players.

"It was an amazing season," Wilson said. "One that I'm going to cherish the rest of my life and I think that even more than all of the wins and honors, I don't think it would have felt as sweet or special if I didn't have the team that I did."

2014 AVCA All-Americans
First Team
Shih Ting Chen, BYU-Hawai'i
Riley Hanson, Concordia University, St. Paul
Ashley Hinsch, University of Minnesota Duluth
Barbara Jackson, University of Central Oklahoma
Danielle Johnson-Hazelwood, Colorado School of Mines
Marissa Lisenbee, University of Tampa
Julie Rainey, University of Minnesota Duluth
Annie Reilly, University of Central Missouri
Mariah Scharf, University of Minnesota Duluth
Preecy Seever, Rockhurst University
Caylie Seitz, Sonoma State University
Ali Skayhan, Florida Southern College
Jessica Wagner, University of Tampa
Berkley Whaley, University of Tampa

Second Team
Allie Brak, Truman State University
Melissa Hess, Colorado Mesa University
Kelsey Hull, Sonoma State University
Samantha Hutchinson, Western Washington University
Emma Lange, Concordia University, St. Paul
Tori May, Cal State San Bernardino
Brenna McIntosh, Cal State San Bernardino
Kahley Patrick, University of Tampa
Lauren Quijano, Metro State Univ. of Denver
Faith Rohn, Palm Beach Atlantic University
Carly Sojka, University of Central Missouri
Abbey Thissen, Southwest Minnesota State
Monica Turner, University of Minnesota Duluth
Michelle Walker, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith

Third Team
Lauren Bevan, West Texas A&M University
Kayshia Brady, Florida Southern College
Hailey Brown, University of Indianapolis
Jessica Codato, Valdosta State University
Alison Cooke, Wingate University
Lauren Hackett, California Baptist University
Haley Kindall, Wheeling Jesuit University
Iona Lofrano, California State University, LA
Abby Saehler, Wingate University
Yaidimar Santiago, Saint Leo University
Stephanie Sfara, Armstrong State University
Haley Thompson, University of Central Missouri
Kasey Williams, Concordia University, St. Paul
Alanna Winfield, Colorado School of Mines

Honorable Mention
Becca Acevedo, Palm Beach Atlantic University
Jessica Anderson, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
Kaulana Ane, University of New Haven
Destiny Berry, Valdosta State University
Caitie Breaux, Regis University
Caitlin Brenton, UC San Diego
Melissa Brum, Academy of Art University
Marissa Cox, Washburn University
Alexis Davito, Lewis University
Kaitlyn DeStefano, Adelphi University
Kayla Erickson, Western Washington University
Alyssa Frauendorfer, Wayne State College (NE)
Catie Fry, Central Washington University
Nickyla Garverick, The University of Findlay
Megan Gorey, University of North Alabama
Alexa Griffith-Hardy, Saint Leo University
Krista Haslag, Missouri S&T
Kameryn Hayes, West Texas A&M
Emily Iverson, Stonehill College
Hannah Kren, Gannon University
Heather Leavitt, Point Loma Nazarene University
Julia Mackey, University of Alaska Anchorage
Sydnie Mauch, University of Minnesota Duluth
Liz McGowan, University of Nebraska Kearney
Jordyn Moody, Colorado Mesa University
Abby Ney, Colorado Mesa University
Ali Patterson, Truman State University
Elizabeth Pennington, Texas Woman's Univeristy
Megan Peterson, Colorado School of Mines
Delia Phillips, Stonehill College
Hailey Pittman, Anderson University (SC)
Lexi Potter, Wingate University
Lindsay Quigley, California State University, Chico
Morgan Rietzke, Rockhurst University
Erica Rottinghaus, Missouri Western State University
Yaidimar Santiago, Saint Leo University
Anna Schlaak, Concordia University, St. Paul
Emma Schleucher, Wheeling Jesuit University
Kamryn Sherman, Armstrong State University
Maddy Siroin, University of Minnesota Duluth
Kate Stromberg, Florida Southern College
Michelle Terpstra, Northwest Nazarene University
Hannah Tong, The University of Findlay
Alexandra Torline, Cal State San Bernardino
Megan Vander Meer, Ferris State University
Sarah Vicory, Washburn University
Michelle Waber, California Baptist University
Savannah Wedemeyer, Point Loma Nazarene University
Jenna Wilson, Carson-Newman University
Shelby Wilt, Angelo State University
Kaitlyn Wolters, Grand Valley State University
Katelynn Zanders, University of Alaska Anchorage