NORFOLK, Va., Nov. 16, 2023 – Howard University sophomore outside hitter Rya McKinnon repeats as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Volleyball Player of the Year, presented by TowneBank, the conference announced. 

Norfolk State’s Gabrielle Gilbert was selected as the MEAC Rookie of the Year, while Coppin State’s Ashley Roman has claimed the league’s Defensive Player of the Year for the fourth time in her career and every year since the awards existence. The Setter of the Year went Coppin State’s Andrea Tsvetanova again for the second consecutive season. Tim Walsh of Coppin State was named Coach of the Year. 

All awards were voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors. 

McKinnon picked up the Player of the Year for the second consecutive season after being named both the MEAC Player and Rookie of the Year at the conclusion of the 2022 regular season. McKinnon leads the conference in points with 410.5 (4.06 per set) and kills at 372 (3.68 per set). In MEAC play, McKinnon averaged a league-best 4.64 points and 4.05 kills per set. She leads the MEAC five 20-kill matches this season, and her seven double-doubles are tied for third in the conference. 

Gilbert becomes the first Spartan student-athlete to claim a major of the year award for Norfolk State. The rookie out of Indianapolis, Ind., sits second in the MEAC in kills per set (3.54) as well as points per set (3.98) and third in total kills with 276 and total points at 310.5. She also sits inside the top-10 in hitting percentage at .260. Gilbert was named the MEAC Rookie of the Week five times this season as well as picking up Player of the Week honors on Oct. 23.

Tsvetanova sits atop the MEAC with 9.44 assists per set and leads the MEAC and sits fourth nationally in total service aces (58) and aces per set (0.59). Her 925 total assists are also the 80th-highest total among all Div. I student-athletes, and she has recorded 16 30-assist performances on the season, which ranks second in the conference, and has tallied seven double-doubles which ties for third in the league.

Roman ranks 85th nationally in total digs with 422, and her 4.44 digs per set average leads the conference and ranks 60th nationally. She holds the MEAC all-time career digs record with the 2,366 career digs she has collected at Coppin State. Roman leads the MEAC in total digs (422) and digs per set (4.44) and has recorded 20 or more digs in seven matches this season. In the four years in which the MEAC has given out a Defensive Player of the Year award, Roman has won it each season. 

Walsh led Coppin State to its second 20-win season in as many years and with their 13-1 record in MEAC action, the Eagles claimed the regular-season title outright after sharing the honor last season with Howard. Coppin State enters the MEAC Volleyball Championship as the top seed with a 24-4 overall record, and the Eagles boast non-conference wins over the likes of McNeese State, Jacksonville State, UNC Greensboro, Morehead State, Marshall, Loyola (Md.), Lafayette, Penn, Lamar, Portland, and Le Moyne. This is Walsh’s third Coach of the Year honor in the last four seasons. 

Joining McKinnon, Roman, Gilbert, and Tsvetanova on the All-MEAC First Team are Howard’s Cimone Woodard, Coppin State’s Geraldyn Palacios and Delaware State’s Kelsie Dawson and Alondra Maldonado. 

The 2023 MEAC Volleyball Championship will take place in Delaware State University’s Memorial Hall this Friday through Sunday, Nov. 17-19. 

MEAC Volleyball 
2023 Postseason All-MEAC Teams 
As voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors 
  
Player of the Year: Rya McKinnon, Howard 
Rookie of the Year: Gabrielle Gilbert 
Setter of the Year: Andrea Tsvetanova, Coppin State 
Defensive Player of the Year: Ashley Roman, Coppin State 
Coach of the Year: Tim Walsh, Coppin State 
 
MEAC ALL-FIRST TEAM 

MEAC ALL-SECOND TEAM 

MEAC ALL-ROOKIE TEAM