University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Three Bulldogs Earn Big South Conference Volleyball Honors
11.15.2017 | Women's Volleyball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Three members of the UNC Asheville volleyball team received honors from the Big South Conference on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017.
UNC Asheville junior outside hitter Cara Guthrie was chosen first-team All-Big South, while freshman middle blocker Ava Venema was tabbed to the All-Freshman Team. Sophomore setter Carter Kennedy was chosen to the Big South Volleyball All-Academic Team.
"I think these honors are the product of the hard work that they've put in this year, and I think it's an important recognition for them and our school in that our athletes are excelling," UNC Asheville volleyball head coach Frederico Santos said. "Congratulations to them and congratulations to us as a team because they could not have done it without all of us."
Guthrie closed out the regular season third in the Big South Conference in both kills (3.82) and points (4.34) per set. She is also eighth in the league in service aces per set at 0.33. Guthrie was twice named Big South Player of the Week this year, garnering weekly honors from the league on Oct. 9 and Oct. 30.
Guthrie enters the Big South Tournament with 897 kills and 789 digs in her Bulldog career.
The reigning Big South Conference Freshman of the Week, Venema ended the regular season ninth in the league in hitting percentage at .276.
On the year, Venema has 200 kills and 53 blocks.
Kennedy has put together a strong 2017 season with 421 assists, 124 digs and 38 kills. Kennedy has 937 assists in her career entering the Big South Tournament.
In the classroom, Kennedy boasts a 4.0 grade-point average as a New Media major.
After a strong 2017 conference season, the UNC Asheville volleyball team will be the fourth seed in the 2017 Big South Volleyball Championship presented by Musco Sports Lighting.
The fourth-seeded Bulldogs (13-14, 9-7 Big South Conference) will face off against fifth-seeded Liberty (11-18, 8-8 Big South Conference) in the opening match of the championship that will be contested at the Dedmon Center on the campus of Radford. First serve is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 17.
2017 Big South Conference Volleyball Award Winners
First-Team All-Conference
Maddie Palmer, OH, Sr., Radford
Molly Livingston, MB, Jr, High Point
Haley Barnes, OH, Sr., High Point
Abby Bottomley, LIB, High Point
Cara Guthrie, OH, Jr., UNC Asheville
Anna Gragg, MB, Soph., Liberty
Allena Heath, OH, Soph., Campbell
Second-Team All-Conference
Haley Kleespies, S, Jr., Radford
Casey Goodwin, OH, Soph., Liberty
Katie Tylman, RS, Jr., High Point
Summer Schuitema, S, Sr., Campbell
Stephanie Neast, OPP, Soph., Radford
Keaupono Fey, MB, Sr., Winthrop
Kayla Schanback, LIB, Sr., Campbell
Honorable Mention All-Conference
Jessica Stocking, OH, Jr., Campbell
Phoebe Wu, OH, Jr., Winthrop
Jordan Hefner, MB, Jr., High Point
Valerie Gonzalez, OH, Jr., Radford
Siani Yamaguchi, S, Soph., Winthrop
All-Freshman Team
Abby Bottomley, LIB, High Point
Amaya Williams, S, Liberty
Katie Doering, RS, High Point
Ava Venema, MB, UNC Asheville
Hannah Schneggenburger, MB, Campbell
Kalysia Bates, MB, Charleston Southern
Allie Wright, MH, Presbyterian College
All-Academic Team
Summer Schuitema, S, Sr., Campbell
Kylie Klein, MB, Sr., Charleston Southern
Amanda Sahm, S, Jr., Gardner-Webb
Haley Barnes, OH, Sr., High Point
Anna Willey, S, Gr., Liberty
Ashton Stewart, MB, Sr., Presbyterian
Kaylor Nash, DS/L, Sr., Radford
Carter Kennedy, S, Soph., UNC Asheville
Carlie Skelton, DS, Jr., Winthrop
Player of the Year
Maddie Palmer, OH, Sr., Radford
Freshman of the Year
Abby Bottomley, LIB, High Point
Coach of the Year
Tom Mendoza, High Point
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Haley Barnes, OH, Sr., High Point
UNC Asheville junior outside hitter Cara Guthrie was chosen first-team All-Big South, while freshman middle blocker Ava Venema was tabbed to the All-Freshman Team. Sophomore setter Carter Kennedy was chosen to the Big South Volleyball All-Academic Team.
"I think these honors are the product of the hard work that they've put in this year, and I think it's an important recognition for them and our school in that our athletes are excelling," UNC Asheville volleyball head coach Frederico Santos said. "Congratulations to them and congratulations to us as a team because they could not have done it without all of us."
Guthrie closed out the regular season third in the Big South Conference in both kills (3.82) and points (4.34) per set. She is also eighth in the league in service aces per set at 0.33. Guthrie was twice named Big South Player of the Week this year, garnering weekly honors from the league on Oct. 9 and Oct. 30.
Guthrie enters the Big South Tournament with 897 kills and 789 digs in her Bulldog career.
The reigning Big South Conference Freshman of the Week, Venema ended the regular season ninth in the league in hitting percentage at .276.
On the year, Venema has 200 kills and 53 blocks.
Kennedy has put together a strong 2017 season with 421 assists, 124 digs and 38 kills. Kennedy has 937 assists in her career entering the Big South Tournament.
In the classroom, Kennedy boasts a 4.0 grade-point average as a New Media major.
After a strong 2017 conference season, the UNC Asheville volleyball team will be the fourth seed in the 2017 Big South Volleyball Championship presented by Musco Sports Lighting.
The fourth-seeded Bulldogs (13-14, 9-7 Big South Conference) will face off against fifth-seeded Liberty (11-18, 8-8 Big South Conference) in the opening match of the championship that will be contested at the Dedmon Center on the campus of Radford. First serve is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 17.
2017 Big South Conference Volleyball Award Winners
First-Team All-Conference
Maddie Palmer, OH, Sr., Radford
Molly Livingston, MB, Jr, High Point
Haley Barnes, OH, Sr., High Point
Abby Bottomley, LIB, High Point
Cara Guthrie, OH, Jr., UNC Asheville
Anna Gragg, MB, Soph., Liberty
Allena Heath, OH, Soph., Campbell
Second-Team All-Conference
Haley Kleespies, S, Jr., Radford
Casey Goodwin, OH, Soph., Liberty
Katie Tylman, RS, Jr., High Point
Summer Schuitema, S, Sr., Campbell
Stephanie Neast, OPP, Soph., Radford
Keaupono Fey, MB, Sr., Winthrop
Kayla Schanback, LIB, Sr., Campbell
Honorable Mention All-Conference
Jessica Stocking, OH, Jr., Campbell
Phoebe Wu, OH, Jr., Winthrop
Jordan Hefner, MB, Jr., High Point
Valerie Gonzalez, OH, Jr., Radford
Siani Yamaguchi, S, Soph., Winthrop
All-Freshman Team
Abby Bottomley, LIB, High Point
Amaya Williams, S, Liberty
Katie Doering, RS, High Point
Ava Venema, MB, UNC Asheville
Hannah Schneggenburger, MB, Campbell
Kalysia Bates, MB, Charleston Southern
Allie Wright, MH, Presbyterian College
All-Academic Team
Summer Schuitema, S, Sr., Campbell
Kylie Klein, MB, Sr., Charleston Southern
Amanda Sahm, S, Jr., Gardner-Webb
Haley Barnes, OH, Sr., High Point
Anna Willey, S, Gr., Liberty
Ashton Stewart, MB, Sr., Presbyterian
Kaylor Nash, DS/L, Sr., Radford
Carter Kennedy, S, Soph., UNC Asheville
Carlie Skelton, DS, Jr., Winthrop
Player of the Year
Maddie Palmer, OH, Sr., Radford
Freshman of the Year
Abby Bottomley, LIB, High Point
Coach of the Year
Tom Mendoza, High Point
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Haley Barnes, OH, Sr., High Point
Players Mentioned
OH
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