TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati's Maria Mallon earned First Team All-Conference honors and Abby Walker received the Freshman of the Year award and Second Team All-Conference recognition from the American Athletic Conference Tuesday afternoon.
SENIOR RECOGNITION
For the fourth consecutive season, Mallon secured her fourth All-Conference accolade, receiving First Team All-Conference recognition in 2018 and 2019 and Second All-Conference recognition in 2020.
"What an amazing way for Maria Mallon to end her career as a Bearcat," said head coach Molly Alvey. "In my opinion, she was playing some of her best volleyball that I have ever seen her play this season. I am so happy for her to be rewarded for her contributions on the court. She is certainly deserving of this award and I could not be more proud of her."
Mallon started and played in every match (28) and set (113) for the Bearcats this season and finished with 396 kills, 409 digs, and 38 service aces along with 44 total blocks. She ranked fourth in the AAC in points (459.5), fifth in points per set (4.07), fourth in total kills (396), fifth in kills per set (3.50), fifth in total attacks (1,079), seventh in services aces (38) and seventh in total digs (409). During the season, she earned Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 6, Offensive Player of the Week Sept. 20, and two honor roll recognitions.
Mallon broke a slew of records her senior season, earning herself multiple spots in the UC record book. She sits in the number seven spot in career services aces with 114. She owns the eighth spot in both career kills and digs for the Bearcats during the rally-scoring era with 1,251 total career kills and 1,113 total career digs. She is also only the ninth player in Bearcats' volleyball history to join the elite 1,000 kills-1,000 digs club - joining former teammates Carly Nolan and Jordan Thompson, with all three coached by head coach Molly Alvey.
BREAKOUT SEASON
Walker was awarded the first Freshman of the Year honors in the AAC for the Bearcats since Jordan Thompson earned the honor in 2015.
"Abby Walker is a truly amazing and gifted volleyball player," Coach Alvey said. "She had an unbelievable impact on our program this season and that impact is only going to grow exponentially in the future. She has the mindset of an elite athlete and it shows in all that she does. My heart is so happy for her to be rewarded for all she has brought to UC in such a short amount of time. It's a very special time to be a Bearcat."
Walker is the 19th Bearcat to earn All-Conference honors, also earning a spot on the Second Team All-Conference list. Along with Mallon, she started and played in every match (28) and set (113) for the Bearcats this season and finished with 286 kills and a .312 hitting percentage, 73 total blocks and 39 service aces along with 62 digs. She finished fifth in the conference in service aces (39) and 17th in kills per set (2.53). She was named AAC Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 4th and earned a spot on the honor roll three times this season.
2021 AMERICAN VOLLEYBALL REGULAR-SEASON AWARDS
Player of the Year: McKenna Melville, Sr., OH, UCF
Libero of the Year: Kate Georgiades, So., Houston
Setter of the Year: Amber Olson, Sr., UCF
Freshman of the Year: Abby Walker, Fr., MB/OPP, Cincinnati
Coaches of the Year: Todd Dagenais, UCF
All-Conference First Team
Claudia Dillon, Jr., MB, UCF
McKenna Melville, Sr., OH, UCF*
Amber Olson, Sr., S, UCF
Anne-Marie Watson, 5th, RS, UCF*
Maria Mallon, Sr., OH, Cincinnati
Kate Georgiades, So., DS/L, Houston
Abbie Jackson, Jr., OH, Houston
Rachel Tullos, Jr., MB, Houston
Rachel Woulfe, Sr., OH, SMU*
Lexie Douglas, R-Sr., OH, Tulane
Kayley Cassaday, Jr., OH, Tulsa
Brylee Kelly, R-So., OH, Wichita State*
All-Conference Second Team
Nerissa Moravec, R-Sr., MB, UCF
Abby Walker, Fr., MB/OPP, Cincinnati
Annie Cooke, So., S, Houston
Alex Glover, Jr., MB, SMU
Hannah Jacobs, Sr., OH, SMU
Kayla Dinkins, Sr., MH, Tulane
Natalie Foster, Fr., MB/RS, Wichita State
Kayce Litzau, So., S, Wichita State
SEASON RECAP
UC Finished the 2021 regular season 19-9, with key wins over top-50 Notre Dame and top-100 teams Texas State and Bowling Green. The Bearcats went14-6 in the AAC, finishing tied for third place with SMU.
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Follow the Bearcats on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can follow Head Coach Molly Alvey on Twitter.
SENIOR RECOGNITION
For the fourth consecutive season, Mallon secured her fourth All-Conference accolade, receiving First Team All-Conference recognition in 2018 and 2019 and Second All-Conference recognition in 2020.
𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝘼𝙡𝙡-𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚‼️@mmallon5 earns her 3⃣rd first team award, and 4⃣th all-conference award, of her career! What a season for the senior 🔥 pic.twitter.com/TSLEwdC4hD
— Cincinnati VBall (@GoBearcatsVB) November 30, 2021
"What an amazing way for Maria Mallon to end her career as a Bearcat," said head coach Molly Alvey. "In my opinion, she was playing some of her best volleyball that I have ever seen her play this season. I am so happy for her to be rewarded for her contributions on the court. She is certainly deserving of this award and I could not be more proud of her."
Mallon started and played in every match (28) and set (113) for the Bearcats this season and finished with 396 kills, 409 digs, and 38 service aces along with 44 total blocks. She ranked fourth in the AAC in points (459.5), fifth in points per set (4.07), fourth in total kills (396), fifth in kills per set (3.50), fifth in total attacks (1,079), seventh in services aces (38) and seventh in total digs (409). During the season, she earned Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 6, Offensive Player of the Week Sept. 20, and two honor roll recognitions.
Mallon broke a slew of records her senior season, earning herself multiple spots in the UC record book. She sits in the number seven spot in career services aces with 114. She owns the eighth spot in both career kills and digs for the Bearcats during the rally-scoring era with 1,251 total career kills and 1,113 total career digs. She is also only the ninth player in Bearcats' volleyball history to join the elite 1,000 kills-1,000 digs club - joining former teammates Carly Nolan and Jordan Thompson, with all three coached by head coach Molly Alvey.
BREAKOUT SEASON
Walker was awarded the first Freshman of the Year honors in the AAC for the Bearcats since Jordan Thompson earned the honor in 2015.
𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙝𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙔𝙚𝙖𝙧‼️
— Cincinnati VBall (@GoBearcatsVB) November 30, 2021
Congratulations @abigaillwalkerr - she is the second #Bearcats to earn this honor - joining UC ⭐️ @jtomm19 pic.twitter.com/doZ8MgZKkH
"Abby Walker is a truly amazing and gifted volleyball player," Coach Alvey said. "She had an unbelievable impact on our program this season and that impact is only going to grow exponentially in the future. She has the mindset of an elite athlete and it shows in all that she does. My heart is so happy for her to be rewarded for all she has brought to UC in such a short amount of time. It's a very special time to be a Bearcat."
Walker is the 19th Bearcat to earn All-Conference honors, also earning a spot on the Second Team All-Conference list. Along with Mallon, she started and played in every match (28) and set (113) for the Bearcats this season and finished with 286 kills and a .312 hitting percentage, 73 total blocks and 39 service aces along with 62 digs. She finished fifth in the conference in service aces (39) and 17th in kills per set (2.53). She was named AAC Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 4th and earned a spot on the honor roll three times this season.
𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝘼𝙡𝙡-𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚!
— Cincinnati VBall (@GoBearcatsVB) November 30, 2021
Another award for the freshman as @abigaillwalkerr also earns a spot on the All-Conference Second Team! pic.twitter.com/8ILz3H6U8Q
2021 AMERICAN VOLLEYBALL REGULAR-SEASON AWARDS
Player of the Year: McKenna Melville, Sr., OH, UCF
Libero of the Year: Kate Georgiades, So., Houston
Setter of the Year: Amber Olson, Sr., UCF
Freshman of the Year: Abby Walker, Fr., MB/OPP, Cincinnati
Coaches of the Year: Todd Dagenais, UCF
All-Conference First Team
Claudia Dillon, Jr., MB, UCF
McKenna Melville, Sr., OH, UCF*
Amber Olson, Sr., S, UCF
Anne-Marie Watson, 5th, RS, UCF*
Maria Mallon, Sr., OH, Cincinnati
Kate Georgiades, So., DS/L, Houston
Abbie Jackson, Jr., OH, Houston
Rachel Tullos, Jr., MB, Houston
Rachel Woulfe, Sr., OH, SMU*
Lexie Douglas, R-Sr., OH, Tulane
Kayley Cassaday, Jr., OH, Tulsa
Brylee Kelly, R-So., OH, Wichita State*
All-Conference Second Team
Nerissa Moravec, R-Sr., MB, UCF
Abby Walker, Fr., MB/OPP, Cincinnati
Annie Cooke, So., S, Houston
Alex Glover, Jr., MB, SMU
Hannah Jacobs, Sr., OH, SMU
Kayla Dinkins, Sr., MH, Tulane
Natalie Foster, Fr., MB/RS, Wichita State
Kayce Litzau, So., S, Wichita State
SEASON RECAP
UC Finished the 2021 regular season 19-9, with key wins over top-50 Notre Dame and top-100 teams Texas State and Bowling Green. The Bearcats went14-6 in the AAC, finishing tied for third place with SMU.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
Follow the Bearcats on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can follow Head Coach Molly Alvey on Twitter.