Volleyball | 11/21/2024 6:25:37 PM
NORFOLK, Va., Nov. 21, 2024 – Howard University junior outside hitter Rya McKinnon repeats as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Volleyball Player of the Year.
Delaware State’s Paige Ahakuelo was selected as the MEAC Rookie of the Year, while
Norfolk State’s Lily Rose-Pichon has claimed the league’s Defensive Player of the Year honor. The MEAC Setter of the Year accolade went to
Howard’s Leah Reeves while
Bison Head Coach Shaun Kupferburg was named Coach of the Year.
All awards were voted on by the conference’s head coaches and sports information directors.
McKinnon collected MEAC Player of the Year honors for the third consecutive season. McKinnon leads the conference in points per set 4.84 and kills at 400 (4.40 per set). In MEAC play, McKinnon averaged a league-best 4.76 points and 4.52 kills per set. She has tallied four 20-kill matches this season, and her nine double-doubles are fourth most in the conference. She garnered MEAC player of the week honors five times this season en route to helping her team to a perfect record in conference play.
Ahakuelo is the first student-athlete from her institution to claim a major MEAC of the Year award. She delivered an impressive freshman campaign, recording 483 assists and 196 digs while averaging 5.17 assists per set. She recorded six double-double matches with two matches of 30+ assists. Paige garnered MEAC Rookie of the Week seven times throughout the season. Ahakuelo registered a season-high 47 assists against Charlotte (Sept. 6) and 17 digs against George Washington (Sept. 21).
Reeves sits atop the MEAC with 8.74 assists per set and ranks third in total assists with 760. She ranks fifth in service aces with 37 total and is tied for third in aces per set at 0.43. Reeves has recorded fourteen 30-assist performances on the season, which ties for first in the conference, including seven matches over 40 assists and two of 50 or more. She has also registered two double-doubles.
Rose-Pichon finished the regular season with 390 digs and 4.02 dig per set which ranks second in the MEAC. She showcased her defensive dominance against Hampton (Oct. 16), recording a season-high 25 digs, three aces and three assists. Rose-Pichon notched double-digit digs in 24 of 27 matches including four matches of 20+ digs. Rose-Pichon is the second Lady Spartan in as many years to earn one of the MEAC’s top regular season honors.
Kupferburg led Howard to its seventh 20+-win season and the second perfect conference season, 14-0, under his leadership. The Bison claimed the regular-season title outright after defeating Coppin State in a five-set thriller on Nov. 10. Howard enters the MEAC Volleyball Championship as the top seed with a 21-5 overall record. The Bison boast non-conference wins over George Mason, Georgetown, Houston Christian, Kansas City, Marist College, Princeton and UMBC. This is Kupferburg’s fourth Coach of the Year honor as the head Bison.
Joining McKinnon, Reeves and Ahakuelo on the All-MEAC First Team are Coppin State’s Takenya Stafford, Sophia Bertotti Metoyer and Coco Figueroa, Delaware State’s Gerren Tomlin, Howard’s Cimone Woodard, Norfolk State’s Gabrielle Gilbert, and Morgan State’s Jada Williams.
The 2024 MEAC Volleyball Championship will take place in Delaware State University’s Memorial Hall this Friday through Sunday, Nov. 22-24 with quarterfinal matches beginning Friday at 11:30 AM.
MEAC Volleyball
2024 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: Paige Ahakuelo, Delaware State
Setter of the Year: Leah Reeves, Howard
Defensive Player of the Year: Lily Rose-Pichon, Norfolk State
Coach of the Year: Shaun Kupferburg, Howard
MEAC ALL-FIRST TEAM
| Name |
Class |
Pos. |
School |
Hometown |
| Coco Figueroa |
So. |
L |
Coppin State |
Bayamon, Puerto Rico |
| Leah Reeves |
Jr. |
S |
Howard |
Allen, Texas |
| Rya McKinnon |
Jr. |
OH |
Howard |
Hoover, Ala. |
| TaKenya Stafford |
R-Jr. |
OH |
Coppin State |
Los Angeles, CA |
| Gabrielle Gilbert |
So. |
OH |
Norfolk State |
Indianapolis, Ind. |
| Gerren Tomlin |
Jr. |
OH |
Delaware State |
Statesville, N.C. |
| Sophia Bertotti Metoyer |
Gr. |
MB |
Coppin State |
Spokane, Wash. |
| Cimone Woodard |
Sr. |
MB |
Howard |
Missouri City, Texas |
| Jada Williams |
So. |
MB |
Morgan State |
Fredericksburg, Va. |
MEAC ALL-SECOND TEAM
| Name |
Class |
Pos. |
School |
Hometown |
| Hannah Sanders |
So. |
MB |
Delaware State |
Lawrenceville, Ga. |
| Dami Awojobi |
Sr. |
OH |
Howard |
Hempstead, NY |
| Claire Simpson |
Jr. |
L |
Howard |
Plainfield, Ill. |
| Anisa Dorlouis |
So. |
S |
Maryland Eastern Shore |
Gainesville, Fla. |
| Nkemjika Ikemefuna |
Jr. |
OH |
Maryland Eastern Shore |
Richmond, Texas |
| Daniela Ferreira |
Jr. |
OH |
Morgan State |
Lisbon, Portugal |
| Sydney McCree |
Jr. |
S |
Norfolk State |
Durham, N.C. |
MEAC ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
| Name |
Class |
Pos. |
School |
Hometown |
| McKenzie Parks |
Fr. |
MH |
Coppin State |
McDonough, Ga. |
| Payton Swinton |
Fr. |
Opp |
Coppin State |
Odenton, Md. |
| Paige Ahakuelo |
Fr. |
S |
Delaware State |
Winchester, Va. |
| Lilliana Montes |
Fr. |
MB |
Maryland Eastern Shore |
Murrieta, Calif. |
| Aubrey Wilson |
Fr. |
MB |
Morgan State |
Fayetteville, Ga. |
| Kayden Cupid |
RSo. |
MH |
N.C. Central |
Supply, N.C. |