Central Islip, N.Y. – Six volleyball
student-athletes from the East Coast Conference have been named to
the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-East Region squad.
Bridgeport head coach Leo Uzcategui was also named the 2011 AVCA
East Region Coach of the Year.
East Region Champion, the University of Bridgeport, tied with New
Haven for the most selections on the squad with three. Senior
setter Tamara Leite (Natal, Brazil), freshman middle middle blocker
Larissa Oliveira (Belo Horizonte, Brazil), and freshman outside
hitter Biljana Savic (Novi Sad, Serbia) were the Purple
Knights’ honorees. Savic, the 2011 ECC Rookie of the Year,
also adds another award after being named the AVCA East Region
Freshman of the Year.
ECC Champion Dowling College also had two players earn a spot on
the team. ECC Player of the Year, Maja Potpara (Pljevlja,
Montenegro), a graduate student setter, and junior outside hitter
Bethany Shepard (Lakewood, Colo.) earned All-Region distinction
after helping the Golden Lions to a 28-5 record on the season.
Potpara’s selection marks the fourth consecutive year she has
been selected to the team.
Wrapping up the conference’s representation on the All-Region
squad is NYIT’s Shelby Cable (DeSoto, Mo.). A year after
being named the East Region Freshman of the Year, Cable enjoyed
another outstanding sophomore season in which she led the Bears to
the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006. She joins
Bridgeport’s Leite as a two-time All-Region selection.
Cable’s teammate and three-time ECC Libero of the Year,
graduate libero Lisa Peacock (Lindenhurst, N.Y.), was the lone
player from the conference named Honorable Mention.
Uzcategui earns his second AVCA East Region Coach of the Year nod
in three years after leading the Purple Knights to their first ever
NCAA East Region Championship. With a 76-19 record in three years
at the helm, Uzcategui led Bridgeport to the Elite Eight despite
only three starters returning from last year’s team that
reached the NCAA East Region Final.
2011 AVCA
All-East Region Team
Chelsey Alpough ***, New Haven, Sr., S
Keidy Candelaria, New Haven, Jr., OH
Shelby Cable **, NYIT, So., OH
Amber Cannady, New Haven, So., MB
Emily Iverson, Stonehill, Fr., S
Sydney Maxey, Stonehill, So., OH
Tamara Leite **, Bridgeport, Sr., S
Susan McDonough, Caldwell, Jr., OH
Larissa Oliveira, Bridgeport, Fr., MB
Biljana Savic, Bridgeport, Fr., OH
Elysa Rowland, Pace, Jr., DS/L
Bethany Shepard, Dowling, Jr., OH
Patawe Simms, Adelphi, Sr., MB
Maja Potpara ****, Dowling, Gr., S
* - Number of career All-Region selections
Honorable Mention: Audrey Bobo (St. Rose, Sr., OH), Bianca Hernandez (Adelphi, Sr., DS/L), Erin Kelly (Stonehill, Jr., DS/L), Amber Mosher (Caldwell, Jr., RS/Opp), Chelsea Overholt (Adelphi, Jr., OH), Lisa Peacock (NYIT, Gr., DS/L)
