2012 Manhattan Volleyball Yearbook
RIVERDALE, N.Y. - After a spectacular freshman campaign in which she averaged 2.49 kills per set, Sydney Volovski (Oswego, Ill.) of the Manhattan College volleyball team has been named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Rookie of the Year, it was announced on Friday. In addition, junior Mariana Furquim (Curitiba, Brazil) was selected Second Team All-MAAC by the conference's 10 head coaches.
Volovski ranked second on the team with 269 kills, and she placed second among all MAAC rookies in both kills per set and hitting percentage (.235). She reached double-figures in kills 15 times, including a career-high 19-kill effort at Marist on Oct. 28 in which she hit .405. Volovski also had three double-doubles, and she was named MAAC Rookie of the Week three consecutive times during the season (Sept. 24, Oct. 1, Oct. 8).
She becomes just the second Jasper ever to win MAAC Rookie of the Year honors, and the first since Amy O'Dorisio in 1999. Joining her on the MAAC All-Rookie Team were Fairfield's Nicole Marzik, Iona's McKenzie Humann, Taylor Edmonds of Niagara, Rider's Nicole Moorman, Lauren Behrens of Saint Peter's and Siena's Meghann Wright.
Furquim paced the Jaspers and ranked fifth in the MAAC with 3.34 kills per set. She also ranked sixth in the conference in points (3.85 per set) and finished second on the squad in digs, tallying 3.29 per set, while also registering a team-high 27 service aces. Furquim had 19 double-doubles this season, including a 22-kill, 26-dig performance in a five-set win at Niagara on Nov. 4.
The All-MAAC First Team consisted of Fairfield's Brianna Dixion, Rachel Romansky and Caitlin Stapleton, Siena's Taylor Akana and Lesli Akeo, Samantha Good of Canisius, and Niagara's Kari Honomichl, the MAAC Player of the Year. Romansky was selected MAAC Setter of the Year for the second straight season, while Akeo was named MAAC Libero of the Year. The rest of the All-MAAC Second Team was Allyson Severyn of Canisius, Iona's Catrina Warren, Loyola's Jac Bullock, Michelle James and Ellen Senf of Niagara, and Siena's Colleen Ahearn. Fairfield's Alija Pittenger was chosen as the Anaconda Sports MAAC Coach of the Year.
In addition, the MAAC All-Academic Team was announced on Friday. Seniors Julie Bies (Massapequa, N.Y.), Jamie Collareta (Islip Terrace, N.Y.), Maddie Heck (Corte Madera, Calif.), Kelsey Huntoon (Monroe, Mich.) and Alexa Lampasona (Remsenburg, N.Y.), as well as sophomore Sarah Haselhorst (Naperville, Ill.) were recognized for their success in the classroom. To be eligible for the MAAC All-Academic Team, student-athletes must have a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or higher and completed at least two semesters at their institution.
