NEW YORK, N.Y. – For the third time in program history and the first time in the Josh Steinbach era, the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year is a Villanova Wildcat as Abby Harrell was named the conference's top rookie of the 2023 season.
The outside hitter was also named an All-BIG EAST and All-Freshman Team selection, joined on the all-conference squad by senior middle blocker Kiera Booth.
Harrell picked up the conference's top freshman and all-conference honors after totaling the BIG EAST's sixth-best mark of 3.29 kills and 3.28 points against league competition to lead all freshmen. The Washington native's 382 total kills and 440.5 points both ranked seventh among all qualifiers, and her 38 aces placed 10th in the league. The five-time BIG EAST Freshman of the Week is the lone first year on the all-conference squad and becomes the first Wildcat to win FOY since Stacey Moline in 1996. As a six-rotation player in her debut season, Harrell added 249 digs (third on the team) and 39 blocks (fourth).
Booth earned her second All-BIG EAST nod in as many years, the sixth to accomplish that feat in Villanova history and the 11th Wildcat to pick up multiple all-conference honors in a career. The all-time VU leader for career hitting percentage, Booth hit .362 against BIG EAST opponents this year to rank fourth in the league and put forth 2.86 kills per set to lead all middle blockers. With 200 kills in conference play, the senior had 36 more terminations than the next BIG EAST player at her position while also totaling 47 blocks against league teams. Despite only 664 swings on the year, Booth had 302 kills to place second for the 'Cats.
The Wildcats will now head into the 2023 BIG EAST Volleyball Championship presented by JEEP, taking on the #3 St. John's Red Storm on Wednesday afternoon in a first round bout from Milwaukee.
BIG EAST Volleyball Player of the Year: Kendra Wait, Creighton, S, Jr.
BIG EAST Libero of the Year: Jaymeson Kinley, Butler, L/DS, RS-Sr.
BIG EAST Setter of the Year: Kendra Wait, Creighton, S, Jr.
BIG EAST Volleyball Freshman of the Year: Abby Harrell, Villanova, OH, Fr.
BIG EAST Volleyball Co-Coaching Staffs of the Year: Creighton & St. John's
All-BIG EAST
Jaymeson Kinley, Butler, RS-Sr., L/DS*
Kendra Wait, Creighton, Jr., S*
Ava Martin, Creighton, So., OH*
Kiana Schmitt, Creighton, Sr., MB
Norah Sis, Creighton, Jr., OH
Jill Pressly, DePaul, Sr., OH*
Rachel Krasowski, DePaul, Sr., L
Peyton Wilhite, Georgetown, Gr., RS
Aubrey Hamilton, Marquette, Sr., OH*
Yadhira Anchante, Marquette, Jr., S
Hattie Bray, Marquette, Jr., MB
Carsen Murray, Marquette, Sr., MB
Erin Jones, St. John's, So., S/RS*
Lucrezia Lodi, St. John's, So., OH
Kiera Booth, Villanova, Sr., MB
Abby Harrell, Villanova, Fr., OH
Carrigan O'Reilly, Xavier, Gr., S/RS
Delaney Hogan, Xavier, Sr., MB
All-Freshman ^
Elise Ward, Butler, Fr., OH
Destiny Ndam-Simpson, Creighton, Fr., OH/RS
Kamryn Lee-Caracci, Georgetown, Fr., MB
Emily Wen, Georgetown, Fr., S
Lyric Berry, Providence, Fr., MB
Rashanny Solano Smith, St. John's, Fr., L/DS*
Abby Harrell, Villanova, Fr., OH
* Unanimous selection
^ Denotes a tie in voting
