NORFOLK, Va. – Hampton senior Vendula Strakova was named the 2014 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Player of the Year, the conference announced on Friday.

Florida A&M’s Pamela Soriano earned Rookie of the Year honors, while Howard head coach Shaun Kupferberg was selected the Coach of the Year. All honors were voted on by the MEAC’s head volleyball coaches and sports information directors.

Strakova, who earned the honor last season, led the MEAC and the nation for the second consecutive season in kills with 582. She is among the top ten in the conference in points (6.37), hitting percentage (.323), digs (303) and service aces (38). Strakova led the MEAC in double-doubles in kills and digs with 17. She registered a season-best 33 kills and 17 digs in a conference match against Howard. Strakova earned AVCA National Player of the Week honors and was a seven-time MEAC Player of the Week selection.

Soriano ranks second in the conference in kills (356) and points (4.85) during her rookie season. A six-time MEAC Rookie of the Week honoree, Soriano registered seven double-doubles in kills and digs. She recorded a season-high 26 kills and 11 digs in a non-conference match against North Florida. She also added 20 digs and 19 kills in a conference match against North Carolina A&T.  

Under the helm of Kupferberg, the Lady Bison posted an 18-9 overall record and 11-1 mark in conference play. Howard ranked first in the MEAC in blocks (2.10), second in opponent hitting percentage (.172), kills (12.71), assists (11.92) and digs (13.88), and third in hitting percentage (.214). In his third year, Kupferberg has guided the Lady Bison to their second consecutive trip to the MEAC Volleyball Championship.

Joining Strakova and Soriano on the 2014 All-MEAC First Team is Florida A&M’s Ginna Lopez-Chavez and Joanie Del Castillo, Hampton’s Kitija Megne, Assata Conway of Howard and Cindy Okpegbue of Coppin State.

The 2014 MEAC Volleyball Tournament begins Friday, November 21 at 10 a.m. The competition continues on Saturday with the semifinal matches scheduled at noon and 3:30 p.m.

The volleyball championship tournament will conclude on Sunday, November 23, beginning at noon and will telecast live on ESPN3 and tape-delayed on ESPNU beginning at 9 p.m.

For more information on the 2014 MEAC Volleyball Championship and for complete results, log on to www.MEACsports.com

2014 MEAC Volleyball All-Conference Team

(As voted on by the Volleyball Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors)

Player of the Year: Vendula Strakova, Hampton

Rookie of the Year: Pamela Soriano, Florida A&M

Coach of the Year: Shaun Kupferberg, Howard

FIRST TEAM

SECOND TEAM

THIRD TEAM