TicketsNov. 18, 2010
BIG EAST Volleyball Awards Banquet News Release
PITTSBURGH - University of Cincinnati volleyball head coach Reed Sunahara and senior outside hitter Stephanie Niemer (Erlanger, Ky./St. Henry) were named BIG EAST Coach of the Year and Player of the Year, respectively, on Thursday during the annual BIG EAST volleyball awards banquet at the Westin Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Additionally, Niemer, senior setter Annie Fesl (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey) and sophomore middle blocker Jordanne Scott (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) were garnered with First-Team All-BIG EAST decorations.
Cincinnati (26-4, 13-1 BIG EAST) also was presented by league officials the BIG EAST regular season championship trophy, after the Bearcats won the league title outright on Sunday by defeating Marquette in three sets. Niemer and Fesl accepted the trophy on behalf of the team.
Niemer, who was the only unanimous first-team selection, led the conference in kills per set (5.20) while ranking third in aces per set (0.40) and fourth in hitting percentage (.339). Nationally, her kills-per-set average placed her fourth, while her 6.06 points per set ranked third. This year, the Erlanger, Ky. native set the record for most BIG EAST Player of the Week honors in a single season with six. She was also named AVCA National Player of the Week on Sept. 21 after recording a total of 60 kills over a two-match span in wins over Purdue and then-No. 5 Illlinois.
Fesl was named to the first team for the second year in a row after being named a second-team choice her sophomore season in 2008. For the second season in a row, the Arlington Heights, Ill. native led the league in assists (1,263) and assists per set (12.03).
The first-team selection was the first for Scott. The sophomore from Indianapolis, Ind. was second on the team in kills (2.82) and points per set (3.20). As a freshman last season, Scott received two BIG EAST Rookie of the Week awards.
The voting was completed by all 15 head coaches in the conference and followed suit for Niemer, who earlier this season was named the 2010 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, and Fesl, a preseason first-team all-conference choice. Thursday marked the second time
Sunahara was named BIG EAST Coach of the Year after previously receiving the honor in 2008. It also gave him his third-career conference coach of the year award, winning his first in 2001 when Cincinnati was in Conference USA.
The Bearcats play South Florida in their first-round BIG EAST Championship match on Friday, Nov. 19, at 12:30 p.m. Live streaming video of the first two rounds of the tournament can be viewed here on the BIG EAST's Web site, which will also carry live stats from Friday here, Saturday here and Sunday here.
Additional coverage of the tournament can be found on the BIG EAST Championship Central page, which will also feature live blogging on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.