TicketsNov. 20, 2008
PITTSBURGH - After leading the University of Cincinnati volleyball team to a share of the program's first BIG EAST regular-season championship, head coach Reed Sunahara was named 2008 BIG EAST Coach of the Year Thursday evening at the 2008 BIG EAST Volleyball Banquet in Pittsburgh, Pa. Four of Sunahara's players, senior Jessie Nevitt (Kennesaw, Ga./Kennesaw Mountain), senior Jessica Elley (Gilbert, Ariz./Gilbert), sophomore Annie Fesl (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey) and sophomore Stephanie Niemer (Erlanger, Ky./St. Henry), earned all-conference awards.
Nevitt earned first-team all-BIG EAST accolades for the fourth time in her career, becoming the first player in UC volleyball history to earn four first-team all-conference awards in a career. This season, Nevitt ranks in the Top 10 in the BIG EAST in hitting percentage, kills, and blocks in overall and conference-only matches. A two-time BIG EAST Player of the Week selection this season, Nevitt owns a .419 hitting percentage, which ranks sixth nationally. Nevitt has recorded double-digit kills in 19 matches this season, while hitting above .400 in 20 matches. Earlier this year, Nevitt became just the second player in BIG EAST history to eclipse 1,400 career kills and 600 career total blocks, joining Notre Dame's Lauren Brewster who played from 2002-05.
Elley took home second-team all-BIG EAST honors after ranking third in the conference in hitting percentage (.344) and averaging 2.52 kps, 1.22 dps, and 0.70 bps. After knocking home a career-high tying 24 kills in a five-set comeback win over Syracuse on Oct. 26, and recording a game-high 13 kills vs. Marquette on Oct. 28, Elley brought home BIG EAST Player of the Week honors on Oct. 29. Elley has recorded nine double-figure kills matches this season and the all-conference honor is the first of her career.
For the first time in her career, Fesl brought home second-team all-BIG EAST honors after ranking second in overall (11.07 aps) and conference-only (11.31 aps) contests in assists. Fesl's 11.07 aps ranks 24th nationally and she led the Bearcats to a .267 hitting percentage, which was tops in the BIG EAST. Fesl recorded five assist/dig double-doubles this season.
After earning BIG EAST Freshman of the Year honors and second-team all-conference honors a season ago, Niemer brought home first-team all-BIG EAST plaudits in 2008. Niemer ranks second on the team in kills, averaging 3.22 kps. Niemer has recorded 20 double-figure kill matches this season, including a season-high 21 kills versus USF (10/31). Niemer notched her lone double-double of the season with 11 kills and a career-high 16 digs versus Syracuse on Oct. 26. Niemer also was selected as the BIG EAST Player of the Week on Sept. 23, her first career BIG EAST Player of the Week honor.
Sunahara earned his first BIG EAST Coach of the Year honor and the second Coach of the Year honor in his career. Sunahara was named the Conference USA Coach of the Year in 2001 after leading the Bearcats to arguably one of the most successful seasons in school history. In 2001, Sunahara led the Bearcats to a C-USA regular-season championship, and the program's first NCAA Tournament win with a victory over Xavier.
The Bearcats open the BIG EAST Tournament at Fitzgerald Field House on the University of Pittsburgh campus on Friday, Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. versus No. 7 seed Pittsburgh.