University of West Florida issued the following announcement on Nov. 17.
Argonauts accounted for the Coach of the Year, Player of the Year, Libero of the Year, Setter of the Year, and five All-GSC selections
After wrapping up arguably their best regular-season in program history, the University of West Florida Volleyball team reaped the rewards of their hard work on Wednesday earning the GSC Coach of the Year, Player of the Year, Libero of the Year, Setter of the Year, and five All-GSC selections the conference announced today.
Beginning with the GSC Coach of the Year honors, Head Coach Melissa Wolter earns her fifth award of her career while Veresia Yon is named Player of the Year, Ashton Marshall Libero of the Year, and Taylor Vaneekeren Setter of the Year. In addition to these honors, Yon, Vaneekeren, and Madi Cooler were also named to the All-GSC First Team while Marshall and Tyler Fezzey earned All-GSC Second Team honors.
Earning another honor to her already decorated resume, Wolter has been named as the Gulf South Conferences Coach of the Year after leading the Argonauts to one of their best seasons to date. With a record of 31-1 on the season, this year's team has already tied the program record for most wins in a single season, broken the record for most consecutive wins, and has reached the highest national ranking in program history.Under Wolter's guidance, the Argonauts this season have also risen to the top of the South Region rankings for the first time in program history and finished a perfect 16-0 in regular season conference play. Wolter now joins Keith Giboney (Harding) and Stephanie Radecki (North Alabama) as the only conference coaches to be named GSC Coach of the Year five different times over their careers.
Veresia Yon is named the GSC Player of the Year and to the First Team All-GSC after raising her game to a new level this season for the Argonauts. The three-time GSC Offensive Player of the Week led the conference in hitting percentage and blocks per set while ranking fifth in kills per set and third in points per set.
Earning the program's first AVCA National Player of the Week honor earlier in the season, Yon has continued to blaze trails from her middle blocker position all season long. In addition to her conference leading numbers, Yon also ranks first in the nation in hitting percentage, ninth in blocks per set, fourth in total blocks, and 40th in points per set.
Yon becomes just the seventh player in UWF Volleyball program history to earn this honor joining the likes of Jordyn Poppen, Lindsay Homme, Autumn Duyn, Katie Johnson, and Luciana Rapach.
Setter Taylor Vaneekeren also was recognized for her hard work all regular season being named the GSC Setter of the Year as well as First Team All-GSC. As the only setter to earn GSC Offensive Player of the Week once this season, Vaneekeren became one of just eight players in program history to surpass 1,000 assists in a single season this year.
Within the conference, Vaneekeren ranks first in assists per set and is at the helm of an offense that ranks first in kills, hitting percentage, and assists. Nationally, Vaneekeren ranks 20th in assists per set and has surpassed over 2,000 assists during her UWF career this season.
Vaneekeren becomes the first setter in program history to earn this distinction which the conference began awarding in 2018.
Earning the GSC Libero of the Year honors is Ashton Marshall who made the most of her extra year of eligibility this season. As a three-time Defensive Player of the Week selection during the regular season, Marshall was also named Second Team All-GSC after leading the Argonaut defense all season long.
The senior ranks seventh in the conference in digs per set this season while backing a team that ranks first in the GSC in opponent hitting percentage, opponent kills, and opponent assists. Marshall also became one of just ten players in UWF Volleyball history to surpass 1,000 digs over their career earlier this season.
This Libero of the Year recognition marks the first time in program history a player has received this award with the conference beginning to award this honor in 2018 as well.
Madi Cooler earned First Team All-GSC honors this season after being a dominant force for the Argonauts from both the front row and back row all season long. The outside hitter was one of just two players to earn GSC Offensive Player of the Week three times this season joining teammate Veresia Yon as the only two.
Ranking first in the conference in points per set and kills per set, Cooler earns her second First Team selection after earning this honor with West Alabama in the 2018 season. In addition to this First Team All-GSC honor, Cooler has also been named to the GSC/SSC Regional Crossover All-Tournament Team, the Springhill Suites All-Tournament Team, and was a Preseason All-GSC selection as
well.
Rounding out this year's selections is Tyler Fezzey who earns Second Team All-GSC honors after being one of the premier right sides in the conference. The graduate transfer from Cal State Fullerton made the most of her time here in Pensacola ranking seventh in the conference in kills per set, third in the conference in hitting percentage, and eighth in the conference in points per set.
Fezzey was also a two-time GSC Offensive Player of the Week selection during the regular season and joined Vaneekeren, Yon, and Cooler on the GSC/SSC Regional Crossover All-Tournament Team as well as the Springhill Suites Invitational All-Tournament Team.
Next up for this West Florida team and these star players is the GSC Tournament right here at the UWF Field House this weekend. Fans can stay up to date with results and schedule information by following UWF Volleyball on social media as well as looking at GoArgos.com throughout the week.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up