D2CCA RELEASE
AVCA ANNOUNCEMENT
Adelphi with League-High Five Players Selected.
MANSFIELD, Mass. – Adelphi's Jamie Yonker and New Haven's Macy Brown both earned East Region Player of the Year honors, as recently announced by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA), respectively. Overall, the Northeast-10 Conference had 13 players earn All-Region status.
Joining Yonker among AVCA major award winners was Adelphi's Danielle MacKnight - the East Region Coach of the Year for the second-consecutive season. MacKnight led Adelphi to a share of the NE10 regular season championship, the top seed in the NE10 Championship and hosting rights for the NCAA East Regional.
Adelphi led all NE10 programs with five players selected to All-Region teams, while American International was second with three. Six players were recognized with All-Region honors from both organizations, including Brown (NE10 Player of the Year), Yonker (NE10 Libero of the Year) and New Haven's Michelle Henwood (NE10 Setter of the Year).
Yonker is a three-time NE10 Libero of the Year and is in the midst of another strong campaign, leading all conference players in digs (475) and ranking second in digs per set (5.11) during the regular season. Most recently, she had 24 digs (6.0 per set) in the NE10 Championship final against New Haven.
Brown became the first New Haven player to win NE10 Player of the Year in a decade - helping the Chargers to a share of the regular season title. She led all NE10 players in kills (385), kills per set (3.70) and points per set (4.2), while ranking fifth in digs (352) during the regular season. Brown was named Most Outstanding Player of the NE10 Volleyball Championship after a 19-kill, 20-dig performance in a 3-1 win over Adelphi in the league final.
For MacKnight, it is her third career selection as East Region Coach of the Year in 17 seasons at Adelphi. The Panthers are 25-6 and the top-seeded team heading into the NCAA DII East Regional, which begins on Thursday. Prior to a loss in the NE10 Championship final, Adelphi had won 15-straight matches.
For a full breakdown of Division II Volleyball All-East Region Teams, please see the list below.
The AVCA, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., is managed by Associations International. The mission of the AVCA is to advance the sport of volleyball with AVCA coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy and professional development. With a membership of over 7,000 and counting, the AVCA provides a professional network for those individuals and companies dedicated to enhancing and promoting the sport.
The D2CCA encourages and promotes DII athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education. The CCA is a communications link among the conferences as they discuss views, policies and regulations that impact DII intercollegiate athletics and works closely with the NCAA as a communications channel to NCAA DII member colleges and universities.
D2CCA ALL-EAST REGION TEAM
Player of the Year
Macy Brown, New Haven
First Team
Jamie Yonker, Adelphi
Aleksandra Ivanovic, AIC
Macy Brown, New Haven
Michelle Henwood, New Haven
Second Team
Lilyen McCarthy, Adelphi
Ana Pimenta, SNHU
AVCA ALL-EAST REGION TEAM
Player of the Year
Jamie Yonker, Adelphi
Coach of the Year
Danielle MacKnight, Adelphi
All-Region
Noelle Alberda, Adelphi
Lilyen McCarthy, Adelphi
Macarty McQueen, Adelphi
Jamie Yonker, Adelphi
Aleksandra Ivanovic, AIC
Paola Soto-Burgos, AIC
Amber Williams, AIC
Macy Brown, New Haven
Michelle Henwood, New Haven
Ana Pimenta, SNHU
Honorable Mention
Brenna Valsted, Adelphi
Ingrid Murphy, Bentley
Ellie Wheeler, Bentley
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 12 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
