Four Volleyball Players Receive CSC Academic All-District® Recognition

Steven Kramer

Volleyball | 12/17/2024 1:25:00 PM

GREENWOOD, Ind. – A quartet of Coppin State volleyball players were named to the College Sports Communicators 2024 Academic All-District® Team, it was announced by the organization on Tuesday morning. Receiving the honor was redshirt junior TaKenya Stafford, who will move on to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot, as well as senior Sophia Bertotti Metoyer, junior Azul Pilahg and sophomore Coco Figueroa.
 
To be eligible for All-District consideration, the student-athlete must be at least a sophomore, a key starter or reserve and maintain at least a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average.  This is the first time that any of the four student-athletes received recognition from CSC, formerly known as CoSIDA.
 
Stafford was a First Team All-MEAC and All-Tournament Team selection this season, leading the Eagles with 416 kills (3.59/set) on .241 hitting, along with 323 digs (2.78/set) and 35 blocks (0.30/set).  A native of Los Angeles, Calif., she added 21 aces and 18 assists while ranking first in double-doubles (17), second in the MEAC in total kills, third in points, fifth in digs and ninth in hitting percentage. Her 416 kills and 455.5 total points this season are both the third highest in school single-season history.
 
In just two seasons at Coppin, she already ranks fifth in CSU history with 779 kills and sixth with 856.0 points while closing in on the top ten in digs. Stafford sits 2nd with 3.43 kills/set and ninth with a .227 hitting percentage.
 
Also, a First Team All-MEAC selection, Bertotti Metoyer led the Eagles with 73 blocks (0.63/set) and a .310 hitting percentage while ranking second on the team with 250 kills (2.17/set). A native of Spokane, Wash., Bertotti Metoyer added 16 aces, nine assists and 55 digs. Bertotti Metoyer ranked fourth in the MEAC in hitting percentage and eighth in blocks during conference play.
 
Pilahg helped the Eagles record school single-season records in both assists (1,408) and kills/set (12.84) this season as one of the pillars of a 6-2 system.  A native of Resistencia, Argentina, Pilahg recorded 521 assists (4.74/set) along with 25 aces and 169 digs (1.54/set). Pilahg posted a pair of double-doubles against Albany and NC Central, tallied a season-high 30 assists against Morgan State and four aces in a win over Delaware State.
 
Figueroa led the MEAC with 4.62 digs/set in conference play and 436 total digs while ranking sixth with 39 aces (0.34/set). A native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Figueroa also ranked third on the Eagles with 118 assists (1.04/set). Starting at libero throughout the season, Figueroa had three matches with at least 20 digs, including a career-high 27 along with 11 assists for her first career double-double at NC Central.
 
Coppin finished the season with a 16-16 overall record while ranking second in the MEAC at 11-3 in conference play before falling in the MEAC Semifinals. The Eagles also set single-match records for assists (70) and points (87.0) in a four-set match and points in a five-set match (86.0).