New Orleans, La. – Xavier University and Southern University at New Orleans dominate the All-GCAC Volleyball Team selections, as announced Wednesday by Commissioner Steven B. Martin. The awards were decided based on a vote of the league’s head coaches.
SUNO senior outside hitter Christal Hollins was the only unanimous selection to All-GCAC First Team. Hollins won conference player of the week honors five times this season and finished in the top five in the GCAC in hitting percentage, kills per set, and digs per set.
Joining Hollins on the First Team are teammates Stephanie Buhl and Jana Reininghaus, Xavier’s Chinedu Echebelem, Claudia Haywood and Franziska Pirkl, Dillard’s Mercades Chevis, Carla Novaes of Talladega, and Philander Smith’s Zyra Wright.
The six-member Second Team includes SUNO’s Milica Golubovic and Ana Privrat, Xavier’s Darian Harris, Tougaloo’s Chassidy Harris and Philander Smith’s Victoria Hicks and Brianna White.
Six of the conference’s eight schools are represented on the All-GCAC team, led by SUNO with five student-athletes. Four from Xavier were chosen, followed by three from Philander Smith. Dillard, Talladega and Tougaloo all had one player apiece recognized.
The All-GCAC teams were led by underclassmen with just five seniors among the fifteen selections. There are seven juniors to go along with two freshman and one sophomore.
Individual award winners will be announced Thursday night at the GCAC Volleyball Awards Banquet. The banquet begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Magnolia Room of the Holiday Inn Metairie New Orleans Airport.
GCAC teams will start play in the 2014 GCAC Volleyball Championship this Friday, Nov. 14, with all eight teams in action on the campuses of Xavier University and SUNO. The Championship Final is scheduled for Nov. 15 at noon at the Xavier University Convocation Center.
For additional information regarding the 2014 GCA Volleyball Championship, please visit www.GCAConf.com.
2014 All-GCAC Volleyball First Team
Stephanie Buhl Sr. S SUNO
Mercades Chevis Sr. RS Dillard
Chinedu Echebelem Sr. OH Xavier
Claudia Haywood Jr. MB Xavier
Christal Hollins* Sr. OH SUNO
Carla Novaes So. OH Talladega
Franziska Pirkl Jr. S Xavier
Jana Reininghaus Jr. MB SUNO
Zyra Wright Jr. OH Philander Smith
2014 All-GCAC Volleyball Second Team
Milica Golubovic Jr. OH SUNO
Chassidy Harris Fr. OH Tougaloo
Darian Harris Jr. L/DS Xavier
Victoria Hicks Fr. DS/L Philander Smith
Ana Privrat Jr. L SUNO
Brianna White So. MB Philander Smith
*Unanimous selection
Courtesy: GCAC
