Benson, Snyder Earn All-GNAC Women's Volleyball Honors
WINTHROP, Mass. - Senior outside hitter Hannah Benson (Terryville, Conn.) of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's volleyball team was tabbed to the All-Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Third Team, it was announced last week by the league's front office. It marks the first career All-Conference nod for Benson and the first for a USJ women's volleyball player since 2015. Additionally, sophomore middle hitter Kailee Snyder (Brookfield, Conn.) was selected to the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team, as the conference unveiled its year-end awards, which are voted on by the league's 14 head coaches.
Benson helped power the Blue Jays to a 9-12 overall record and 4-9 mark in GNAC play for the 2021 season under first-year head coach Sheila Gisbrecht. Competing in all 21 matches this season, Benson led the team and was top-20 in the league in numerous statistical categories. Offensively, Benson was USJ's go-to player, pacing the Blue Jays with 204 kills, good for 2.87 kills per set, on a whopping 702 total attacks, which was the seventh-highest toal in the GNAC. She also led the team defensively with a team-best 218 digs (3.07 d/s) on the year, which was the 17th-most in the conference en route to picking up All-GNAC Third Team honors.
COACH QUOTE [Sheila Gisbrect] "Really excited to have a senior receive some recognition at the conference level. Hannah has had a tremendous career at USJ and was very deserving of all-conference honors this year. She put a lot of work in to change her profile both offensively and defensively. Hopefully this award will inspire her teammates to continue working towards the goals that we put in place this season and moving into the future so we can continue to develop the program overall in the right direction."
For the complete list of all-conference honorees, major award winners, and all-sportsmanship selections, please see below.
FIRST TEAM
Alanys Cruz Diaz, Elms
Peyton Oliver, Johnson & Wales (RI)
Kathryn Farnum, Norwich
Lily Blodgett, Rivier
Sofia Pawlusik, Rivier
Avery Pollard, Rivier
Claire Conners, Simmons
SECOND TEAM
Emily Corbett, Johnson & Wales (RI)
Masina Tupea, Johnson & Wales (RI)
Sabine Milton, Lasell
Kate Montigny, Regis (Mass.)
Sydney Racevicius, Rivier
Sydney Iannantuono, Simmons
Kat Simeonidis, Simmons
THIRD TEAM
Kianna Lozada, Elms
Sarah Farnum, Norwich
Rita Dow, Regis (Mass.)
Valerie Whalen, Regis (Mass.)
Lily Sills, Rivier
Hannah Benson, St. Joseph (Conn.)
Amanda Fortune, Simmons
PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Avery Pollard, Rivier
LIBERO OF THE YEAR – Sofia Pawlusik, Rivier
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – Claire Conners, Simmons
COACH OF THE YEAR – Craig Kolek, Rivier
TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD – Simmons
ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Peyton Oliver, Johnson & Wales (RI)
Masina Tupea, Johnson & Wales (RI)
Mckenna McCool, Lasell
Sabine Milton, Lasell
Sofia Pawlusik, Rivier
Lily Sills, Rivier
Claire Conners, Simmons
ALL-SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM
Taina Vargas, Albertus Magnus
Sarah Burt, Anna Maria
Riley Codman, Colby-Sawyer
Emily Ball, Dean
Sabrina Christie, Elms
Caitlin Tannian, Emmanuel
Sibel Truong, JWU
Meghan Roberts, Lasell
Olivia Brown, Norwich
Toni Ondris, Regis
Aly Werth, Rivier
Kailee Snyder, St. Joseph (Conn.)
Nicole Baron, Saint Joseph's (Me.)
Tabitha Miles, Simmons
About The GNAC
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 14 member institutions and over 3,500 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.
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