By: Caitie Smith, Assistant Sports Information Director
LOCKHAVEN, PA. and INSTITUTE, W.VA. – On the eve of their first NCAA Regional since 2008, West Virginia State Volleyball added two more accolades to their historic season, as seniors Jenna Dufresne and Grace Martin were honored as Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (D2CCA) All-Atlantic Region honorees.
Dufresne, the spring 2021 and fall 2021 Mountain East Conference Player of the Year, was dubbed as the Player of the Year in addition to first-team recognition. Dufresne is the first player in WVSU history to earn Atlantic Region Player of the Year honors. She will be in the voting for D2CCA All-American awards after being placed on the first team.
Dufresne tallied 450 kills on the year, averaging 4.33 per set and recording an impressive .315 hitting efficiency. She also totaled 257 digs and 52 blocks on the year and finished the season with 14 double-doubles, including a streak of four consecutive games with a double-double as she enters Thursday's contest.
Martin, who also awarded with all-MEC status this season, was given second-team plaudits. Both women ranked in the Top 20 nationally in multiple statistical categories during the 2021 campaign. Martin ended the regular/MEC tournament season with 155 total rejections.
All-American selections will be announced on Wednesday, December 8.
NCAA REGIONAL TIME
Date: Thursday, December 2nd vs. Shepherd University
Place: Alma Grace McDonough Center- Performance Gym (Wheeling, WV)
Time: 12 pm
The Yellow Jackets enter the NCAA Tournament as the sixth seed in the region, and will face third-seeded Shepherd on Thursday, December 2nd in Wheeling, W.Va., at noon. Live stats and video will be available in the links provided.
The Rams are making their third consecutive regional appearance and finished the season at 24-4.
WVSU ended the year at a 29-4 clip, a program record for victories, and is seeking its first win against the Rams since 2012.
The winner will face the victor of Gannon/East Stroudsburg on Friday, December 3.
SCOUTING SHEPHERD
Shepherd fell to fellow NCAA Regional participant (and number two seed) Gannon in the PSAC semifinals in mid-November. The squad is led in kills by junior Mikaylah Hoy, a D2CCA All-Region selection herself. Their first-team selection, Georgia Ohmke, tops the team with 146 blocks, averaging 1.51 per set.
Redshirt freshman Claire Ellis leads the way on the back line with 506 total digs.
