Volleyball Earns GNAC Team Sportsmanship Award
WINTHROP, Mass. – The Mitchell College women's volleyball team was the recipient of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Team Institutional Sportsmanship Award, as announced by the conference on Tuesday afternoon when end of season All-Conference Teams were released.
Voting was conducted by the league's 16 women's volleyball head coaches following the regular season and did not take postseason play into account.
The Mariners finished with an overall record of 9-17, a two-win improvement over 2023, including a 5-10 mark in conference.
Several players enjoyed standout seasons for Mitchell, as junior Julia Lent (Miller Place, N.Y.), who led the conference by averaging 5.49 digs per set, and ranked second in the GNAC with 500 total digs. Lent's 296 digs in conference play was tops in the league, while her 500 digs were most in a single-season in the Division III history of the program. She will enter her senior season as already the program's all-time leader in total digs (1180) and digs per set (4.50).
Senior Allison Blum (Garden Grove, Cali.) was named to the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team, and finished her career in New London second in the Division III era of the program in kills and digs with 659 and 928 respectively, and ranks first all-time in matches played (93), sets played (322), and service aces (167).
Additionally, freshman outside hitter Genna Hyde (Cypress, TX) and sophomore setter Kiersten Veenstra enjoyed breakout seasons for the Mariners. Hyde concluded her season with 283 kills, the second most in a single season in program history. Meanwhile, Veenstra's 435 assists place her at sixth in a single-season in the category.
2024 Women's Volleyball All-GNAC Teams
First Team All-Conference
McKenna McCool, Lasell
Peyton Oliver, Johnson & Wales
Isabella Marquez, Emmanuel
Hannah Pridgeon, Simmons
Kamdyn Tenorio, Regis
Eliana Baran, Lasell
Sydney Katz, Lasell
Madeline Caro, Lasell
Second Team All-Conference
Zoe Chatterton, Simmons
Lily Sills, Rivier
Nevaeh Arnold, Johnson & Wales
Victoria Briones, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
Avery Mola, Regis
Juliana Medini, Lasell
Kason Huynh, Emmanuel
Carolina Rodriguez, Simmons
Third Team All-Conference
Emily VanHouten, Lasell
Kate Montigny, Regis
Kamryn Brakemeier, Colby-Sawyer
Chloe Demaio, Dean
Ali Rivera, Rivier
Morgan Bogli, Lasell
Ahnasia Mckinney, Regis
Sierra Nausieda, Johnson & Wales
Major Awards
Player of the Year – McKenna McCool, Lasell
Setter of the Year – Sydney Katz, Lasell
Libero of the Year – Madeline Caro, Lasell
Rookie of the Year – Nevaeh Arnold, Johnson & Wales
Coach of the Year – Jeff Vautrin, Lasell
Institutional Sportsmanship - Mitchell College
All-Sportsmanship Team
Isabella Leatherman, Albertus Magnus
Jana Hunt, Anna Maria
Audra Fontes, Colby-Sawyer
Ariella Sullivan, Dean
Alejandra Marin, Elms
Paula Tanguilig, Emmanuel
Carlie Tretera, Johnson & Wales
Emily Cerasani, Lasell
Allison Blum, Mitchell
Lily Anne Heywood, New England College
Abby Kanaga, Norwich
Allie Bietz, Regis
Sam Driend, Rivier
Lea Carangelo, Saint Joseph's (Maine)
Carolina Rodriguez, Simmons
Karla Flores, University of Saint Joseph (Conn.)
