BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The Mountain East Conference released its 2023 All-MEC volleyball selections Wednesday and five members of the WVSU volleyball team were selected, including two first team selections, a second team selection, an all-freshman team selection and the MEC Coach of the Year.

Head Coach Hillary Hurley was named the MEC Coach of the Year for volleyball in her first season at the helm of the Yellow Jackets. Hurley's Yellow Jackets finished with the best record in the Mountain East Conference at 24-4 overall and 14-1 in the Mountain East and will host the Mountain East Tournament for the third time in four seasons. Under Hurley's leadership, the Yellow Jackets are poised to make another appearance in the NCAA postseason tournament, their second in three years. Hurley was an assistant coach for the University of Charleston last year after a 10-year career playing at the professional level in nine different countries.

Senior middle hitter Diamond'Nique Young was named to the All-MEC First Team for the second straight season after leading the team in multiple offensive categories. Young posted 311 kills during the regular season, averaging 3.66 kills per set, leading the team in both categories. She also boasts the third-best hitting percentage on the best hitting team in the Mountain East at .318. Young also leads the team with 83 blocks on the season, averaging just shy of one block every set. Individually, Young is ranked fourth in the MEC for hitting percentage, fourth in kills per set, fifth in blocks per set, and third in points per set. Young was named Player of the Week twice this season, one of three Yellow Jackets to get a second nod this season.

Senior outside hitter Jacklyn Simms joins Young on the All-MEC First Team after excelling on both offense and defense. Simms had five double-doubles this season, averaging 3.52 kills per set and 2.71 digs per set. Simms had eight matches where she posted double-digit digs and three matches where she had 15 or more digs. On the offensive side, she had 13 matches with double-digit kills and hit at a .287 clip. She ranks ninth in hitting percentage in the Mountain East, sixth for kills per set and sixth for points per set. She was also named MEC Player of the week twice this season. 

Senior setter Kiersten Eggleton earned a Second Team All-MEC nod, her third All-MEC award of her career following a first team award last season and an honorable mention in 2021. Eggleton posted 747 assists this season and 70 kills, placing her fifth in the MEC for assists per set at 8.27.

Freshman Valencia Wilder was named to the All-MEC Freshman Team. She ranks ninth in the MEC in blocks per set with 0.92. Her blocking abilities helped her garner two MEC defensive Player of the Week awards, with her second one coming after a nine block effort against West Liberty.

The Yellow Jackets will take on Notre Dame College in the quarterfinals of the MEC Tournament at 5 p.m. tomorrow.