GANSEVOORT, N.Y. – The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) has announced its 2014 Women’s Volleyball All-Conference selections, with first, second and third team honors being awarded regardless of position to a total of 21 student-athletes, as selected by the conference coaches.

The NEAC has also announced its individual award winners for women’s volleyball, as also selected by the conference coaches.  Gallaudet University senior Kali Frowick (Norfolk, Neb.) was chosen as the NEAC Player of the Year after another outstanding season for the Bison.  The outside hitter and team co-captain currently ranks in the top six amongst conference players in multiple categories, including kills per set (2nd - 3.84), points per set (2nd - 4.3), total kills (3rd – 365), total points (5th - 406.5) and hitting percentage (6th - .287).  Frowick, who was the conference’s inaugural Rookie of the Year selection in 2011 and has garnered eight career NEAC Player of the Week selections, also recorded 11 kills-digs double-doubles in 28 starts this season to help lead the Bison to their second straight NEAC Regular Season Championship with an 11- conference record, which granted them the right to host this year’s six-team championship tournament as the top seed.  A two-time NEAC Tournament MVP selection for the four-time defending champion Bison, Frowick was also named to the NEAC All-Conference First Team for the fourth straight time while also being a three-time NEAC Scholar-Athlete selection. 

Penn State Berks freshman Megan DeAbreu (West Chester, Pa.) garnered the NEAC Defensive Player of the Year honor after an excellent season for the Nittany Lions. The libero is averaging 4.84 digs per set after tallying 455 digs this season, which leads the team and ranks her second and third, respectively, in those categories across the conference. DeAbreu has recorded double-digit dig totals in 26 of the 27 matches she has competed in this season, including eight contests with at least 20 digs.  DeAbreu, who also provided 34 aces and 14 assists for Berks, led a defense that tallied 12 straight-set victories this season en route to going 18-9 overall while claiming the third seed in the upcoming conference tournament with a 10-2 NEAC record.  DeAbreu’s efforts also landed her on the NEAC All-Conference Second Team.  

The next two individual awards were claimed by Wells College, as freshman Anuhea Leite-Ah Yo (Hilo, Hawaii) was chosen as the NEAC Rookie of the Year while head coach Richard Gary was selected as the NEAC Coach of the Year.  Leite-Ah Yo had a terrific rookie campaign for the Express, as the outside hitter tallied 263 kills, 340 digs, 46 aces and 315.5 points through 33 matches, which were all top-20 marks in the conference, as were here per-set averages in kills (2.27), digs (2.93) and points (2.7).  Her total kills and kills-per-set average both ranked second amongst all NEAC rookies this season, while she also posted the Express’ best reception percentage after committing just 31 errors in over 550 total receptions.  Leite-Ah Yo, who earned a NEAC Defensive Player of the Week selection this season, also tallied 10 kills-digs double-doubles on the year en route to being named to the All-Conference Second Team.

Gary was selected by his peers after guiding the Express to a dramatic turnaround from last year’s 5-25 season, as they posted a program-best overall mark of 23-10 in just their third season as a varsity program.  The Express also finished 10-2 in NEAC play, which earned them the second seed in the upcoming conference championship tournament.  Gary’s squad led all NEAC teams in both service aces and service aces per set, while also ranking within the top-five in the conference in kills and kills per set, assists and assists per set, digs and digs per set, solo blocks and total blocks, and hitting percentage.

Below are the NEAC All-Conference First Team, Second Team and Third Team selections:

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The North Eastern Athletic Conference has fourteen NCAA Division III member institutions which include: Bryn Athyn College, Cazenovia College, College of St. Elizabeth, Gallaudet University, Keuka College, Lancaster Bible College, Pennsylvania College of Technology, Pennsylvania State University - Abington, Pennsylvania State University - Berks, SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Institute of Technology, SUNY Morrisville State College, Wells College, and Wilson College.  Associate members are: Cedar Crest College (W Swimming), D’Youville College (M Volleyball), Hilbert College (M Lacrosse & M Volleyball), Medaille College (M&W Lacrosse & M Volleyball), Penn State Altoona (M Volleyball) and Rutgers University - Camden (M Golf).  The North Eastern Athletic Conference has partnered with the North Atlantic Conference in the sports of men’s and women’s tennis.