Conference Carolinas
Travis Chell
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Conference Carolinas has released its 2024 women’s volleyball all-conference honors as chosen by the league’s head coaches.
Ellie Jackson of Emmanuel University was tabbed Conference Carolinas Player of the Year while Converse University’s Mackenzie Day garnered Defensive Player of the Year honors. The Freshman of the Year is Olivia Melvin of the University of Mount Olive while Emmanuel’s head coach James Friddle was named Coach of the Year.
Jackson, an outside hitter, leads Conference Carolinas with averages of 3.75 kills and 4.30 points per set. Both mark rank in the NCAA’s top 50. Her attack percentage of .257 ranks 16th in Conference Carolinas. On the defensive end, Jackson owns a 3.91 digs per set average, ranking her third in the league. This season, the Jacksonville, Florida native has posted 19 doubles-doubles with six matches of at least 20 digs and a season-high of 27 digs. Offensively, she has posted 23 matches with at least 10 kills, including two over the 20 plateau with a season-high of 23 kills.
Day as led the Converse back row all season as her 5.84 digs per set average leads the league by nearly one dig per set and ranks fifth in NCAA Division II. The Columbia, South Carolina native owns 642 total digs this season, a mark that ranks second in the country. She has posted at least 10 digs in 26-of-28 matches this season, including 17 with at least 20 digs and six over 30. Her season-high of 46 digs came in a five set win at Mars Hill.
In her first year on campus, Melvin has appeared in 24 matches with 13 starts. She ranks fourth among Trojans with an average of 2.33 kills per set with 189 total kills. On the defensive side, she averages 0.67 digs and 0.23 blocks per set. The Fayetteville, North Carolina native owns eight matches of at least 10 kills, including a career-high of 17 against Lenoir-Rhyne.
Friddle earns his second Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year honor as he earned the award in 2022. He has guided the Lions to a Southwest Division title with an 8-0 record and the top seed in the Conference Carolinas Women’s Volleyball Championship as the Lions went 17-1 in league matches. Emmanuel is 21-9 entering their semifinal match on Friday and are ranked ninth in the NCAA Southeast Region Rankings.
2024 Conference Carolinas Women’s Volleyball All-Conference
Player of the Year
Ellie Jackson, Emmanuel
Defensive Player of the Year
Mackenzie Day, Converse
Freshman of the Year
Olivia Melvin, Mount Olive
Coach of the Year
James Friddle, Emmanuel
First Team
Ellie Jackson, Emmanuel
Ashlyn Stone, Mount Olive
Caroline Lucas, Francis Marion
Alaina Emminger, Emmanuel
Abby Peduzzi, UNC Pembroke
Mackenzie Day, Converse (libero)
Mya Mendoza, Francis Marion (setter)
Second Team
Anna Fiddelke, North Greenville
Cailin Pritchard, Emmanuel
Noemia Chiacchio, Converse
Callie Mullins, Mount Olive
Kaytlin Smart, Francis Marion
Joha Bernis, Young Harris (libero)
Tyler Patterson, UNC Pembroke (setter)
Third Team
Gracie Wilson, Southern Wesleyan
Ariel Bryant, Converse
Kara Walker, Francis Marion
Gracia Love, King
Emily Hanson, Emmanuel
Claudia Loyola, Shorter (libero)
Lyza Thigpen, Young Harris (setter)