ROSEMONT, Pa. – The Colonial States Athletic Conference announced the 2019 Volleyball All-Conference honors today.  The number one seeded Gators had six players earn All-Conference recognition, including two major awards.

Sophomore Alyssa Kerns, for her second season in a row, earned top honors being named the 2019 CSAC Player of the Year.  This is the second consecutive Player of the Year recognition for the program and first for Kerns.  Last season, in their Championship season, Kerns was named the CSAC Rookie of the Year.  Kerns was also named to the First Team All-CSAC, her first career first team selection.

This season, Kerns has been dominant in the front row for the Gators.  She finished the regular season tied for first for kills in the CSAC, while also finishing second in hitting percentage.  Kerns has had a breakout year, already surpassing her kills and hitting percentage season records set in her rookie season.

Also earning top honors in the CSAC was freshman Ivanella Figueroa, who was named the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year.  Figueroa was also a First Team All-CSAC selection as a defensive specialist.  In her rookie season, Figueroa was named the CSAC Defensive Player of the Week twice and weekly honor roll four times.  She's averaged 4.56 digs per set and finished the regular season ranked fourth in aces. 

This is the program's second CSAC Defensive Player of the Year recognition.  In 2016, Cleaya Antes was named the first CSAC Defensive Player of the Year in her senior season.

The Gators had four student-athlete earn First Team All-CSAC status, including Kerns and Figueroa.  Junior Michaila Sheedy notched her third career honor, but first career first team recognition.  In her rookie season, Sheedy was named to the Second Team All-CSAC and last year was named to the Honorable Mention Team. 

Sheedy is currently first in the CSAC this season in hitting percentage.  She is just two kills shy of her career season high for kills with 200.  She is also hitting an impressive .392 this season, while also adding 45 blocks, 19 aces, and 46 digs.  She was named to the CSAC Weekly Honor Roll three times this season, while also earning Player of the Week honors once.

Earning her first career postseason recognition, senior Sara Few, was named to the First Team All-CSAC.  In her second season with the Gators, Few was selected to the first team as a setter.  Setting for the Gators, she leads the conference in assists per set at 8.82.  She is also first in service aces with 73 this season.  As a team, the Gators are first in kills this season with Few feeding the offense.

In her senior season, Kayleigh Davis earned her second career All-Conference recognition.  She was selected to the Second Team All-CSAC as an outside hitter.  In 2019, Davis has posted a career season.  In all six rotations, Davis has been a threat for the Gators finishing the regular season second on the team in kills, second in aces, third in digs, and third in blocks.  Earlier this season, she was named the CSAC Player of the Week.

The Gators' sixth selection to All-Conference is senior captain, Mary Marquez.  In her final season for the Gators, Marquez earned her second postseason recognition being named to the Second Team All-CSAC as a libero.  This season, Marquez split time for the Gators playing both outside hitter and defensive specialist.  Both Marquez and Davis put up big numbers in all statistical categories this season.  Marquez currently has 110 kills this season, surpassing her career season record from her rookie season.  She is fourth on the team in kills and third in digs.  Marquez was also the All-Sportsmanship Team selection for the Gators.  

And finally, for the first time since 2016, the Notre Dame volleyball program was selected the 2019 3-D Award recipient.  The 3D award is voted on by the student-athletes across the conference and recognizes the team in each sport that best demonstrates the NCAA Division III philosophy of "Discover, Develop, Dedicate."

On Thursday, the Gators will play in their seventh consecutive CSAC playoffs on Thursday.  As the first seed, they will play the winner of the CSAC Quarterfinals played today at Bryn Athyn College versus Keystone College.  The match will be played in MBK Sports Complex at 7:00 p.m.