Nov. 18, 2010
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Junior Kim Maroon was named the 2010 BIG EAST Libero of the Year as announced at the annual banquet held Thursday evening at The Westin Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Junior Maggie Mergen received All-BIG EAST first team accolades and freshman Alyssa Anderson was named second team all-conference.
"I'm so honored to have received this award couldn't have done it with my teammates and coaches," Maroon stated. This has been such a great season and we are all really excited to be here at the BIG EAST tournament. We're going to play hard tomorrow and out out a great effort to keep this going as long as we can."
Maroon was a unanimous selection for Libero of the Year and helped boost Villanova to 11 conference wins, the most in program history. She becomes the first Wildcat to earn the award. Maroon led the conference in digs per set with 5.57, recording over 100 more digs than her closest competition. The junior also led the BIG EAST in conference play with 0.70 aces per set, notching 27 for the year. She had 14 matches with 20-plus digs, helping her to an All-BIG EAST First Team selection.
Mergen earned All-BIG EAST first team honors after leading Villanova in conference matches with 3.45 kills per set and a .367 hitting percentage. She recorded a career-high 21 digs in the final match of the season at South Florida. Mergen earned BIG EAST Honor Roll accolades on three occasions this season.
Anderson had a stellar freshman season as the Wildcat setter. She ranked fourth in the conference with 10.75 assists per game in conference matches and also recorded 2.42 digs per conference outing. Anderson earned Freshman of the Week honors in four weeks this season and dished out a career-best 55 assists on two occasions.
No. 4 seed Villanova will play in the BIG EAST Tournament's opening match on Friday at 10:00 a.m. The Wildcats will face No. 5 seed Notre Dame. In the regular season meeting Villanova earned a 3-1 victory.
All the quarterfinal and semifinal matches will be streamed live on www.bigeast.tv . A live blog will also be available during all matches, and the BIG EAST Championship Central page will have all the latest information throughout the tournament. The championship match will be exclusively broadcast live on ESPNU at 3:30 p.m. ET.
The winner of the Championship earns an automatic berth to the 64-team NCAA Championship field. The 2010 volleyball selection show will be broadcast on ESPNEWS between 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 28. 2010 BIG EAST CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL AWARDS
BIG EAST Player of the Year
Stephanie Niemer, Cincinnati, Sr., OH *
BIG EAST Libero of the Year
Kim Maroon, Villanova, Jr. *
BIG EAST Freshman of the Year
Andrea McHugh, Notre Dame, OH
BIG EAST Coach of the Year
Reed Sunahara, Cincinnati
2010 All-BIG EAST VOLLEYBALL TEAM
First Team
Lola Arslanbekova, Louisville, So., OH
Ashley Beyer, Marquette , Jr., OH
Allie Boaz, USF, Sr., RSH
Annie Fesl, Cincinnati, Sr., S
Rabbecka Gonyo, Marquette, Sr., MB
Nikki Klingsporn, Marquette, Sr., S
Kim Maroon, Villanova, Jr., L
Andrea McHugh, Notre Dame, Fr., OH
Maggie Mergen, Villanova, Jr., MB
Stephanie Niemer, Cincinnati, Sr., OH *
Jordanne Scott, Cincinnati, So., MB
Amy Town, Pittsburgh, Sr., OH
Second Team
Alyssa Anderson, Villanova, Fr., S
Taylor Brauneis, Louisville, Fr., S
Vanessa Dorismond, Georgetown, Sr., MB
Imani Harper, Pittsburgh, Sr., MB
Emily Juhl, Louisville, Fr., OH
Noemie Lefebvre, Syracuse, Jr., OH
Meghan Matusiak, Seton Hall, Jr., RSH
Sarah Osmun, Seton Hall, Sr., OH
Darlene Ramdin, St. John's, Jr., MB/OH
Gwen Rucker, Louisville, Jr., MB
Kellie Sciacca, Notre Dame, Sr., MB
Amanda Simmons, Louisville, Sr., MB
* unanimous selection
