Central Islip, N.Y. – After leading her squad to the program's first-ever East Coast Conference Regular Season Championship, Daemen College's Ashley Drzymala (West Seneca, N.Y.), has been named the conference's Player of the Year in a vote by the league's coaches. Other major award winners include Bridgeport senior Amelie Guinci (Cannes, France) earning the Libero of the Year honor and NYIT junior Allison Fowler (Centennial, Colo.) repeating as the Setter of the Year. Daemen's Bailey Dolegowski (Marilla, N.Y.) and Queens' Cassidy Stewart (Keller, Texas) wrap up the conference's major awards by sharing the Rookie of the Year honor.
Drzymala didn't suffer a sophomore slump after earning the conference's Rookie of the Year honor in 2015, instead stepping up her play to earn the conference's top honor. Her name can be found near the top of the conference leader board in numerous categories. Coming in to ECC Championship play, she is second in the conference with 363 kills, third with 3.46 kills per set, second with 427.5 points, and second with 4.1 points per set. In addition, her serve has been lethal as she ranks second in the league with 47 services aces, a total that ranks 35th in Division II, and third with 0.45 service aces per set, She also shows off a well-rounded game by ranking 13th in the league with 274 digs in addition to adding 29 total blocks.
Guinci anchored Bridgeport's defense with an ECC-leading 496 digs and 5.39 digs per set to earn the Libero of the Year award. Her dig per set total is the highest in the ECC since Monika Rodziewicz of Molloy College averaged 5.71 per set during the 2007 season. Guinci also contributed 76 assists (12th in the ECC), 35 kills, and 16 service aces for the Purple Knights this season.
Fowler earns her second straight Setter of the Year honor after ranking second in the ECC with 955 assists, just 17 behind the conference's leader, despite missing four games in the middle of the season. She is also second in the conference with an average of 9.85 assists per set. She has added 90 kills, 27 service aces, and 53 total blocks on the year, as well.
Dolegowski currently leads the ECC with 972 assists on the season and ranks third with 9.53 assists per set, helping her earn a share of the league's top newcomer honor. The four-time ECC weekly honoree also ranks fourth in the conference with 40 service aces and has contributed 241 digs on the year.
Stewart shares the Rookie of the Year honor with Dolegowski after ranking sixth in the ECC with a .269 hitting percentage on 202 kills. She also ranked in the top 20 in all of Division II with 50 service aces and 0.53 service aces per set, both numbers that led the ECC. A one-time recipient of the ECC Rookie of the Week honor, she added 51 digs and 53 total blocks on the year.
Stephanie Albano of Daemen has been selected as Coach of the Year in her first season at the helm of the Wildcats program. Albano led Daemen to their first ECC Regular Season Championship in program history with a 13-1 mark in conference play. Under her guidance, the Wildcats come in to ECC Championship play with a 14 game winning streak, a 22-6 overall record, and the No. 1 ranking in the NCAA Division II East Regional rankings.
Joining Drzymala, Guinci, and Fowler on the All-Conference First Team are Amber Drzymala (West Seneca, N.Y.) of Daemen, Rachel Guida (Huntington, N.Y.), Karolina Moderova (Zalesie, Slovakia), and Tiffany Verni (Patchogue, N.Y.) of NYIT.
Dolegowski and Stewart are joined on the All-Conference Second Team by Sara Cruz (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) and Ellie Rich (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) of Bridgeport and Rachel Londot (Utica, Ohio), Taryn McCullouch (Buena Park, Calif.), and Danielle Valenza (Hauppauge, N.Y.) of LIU Post.
Sheri Middleton (Humboldt, Kansas) and Frida Randen (Sodertalje, Sweden) of Bridgeport wrap up the All-Conference honorees as Honorable Mention selections.
2016 ECC Volleyball All-Conference
First Team
Amber Drzymala, Sr., OH, Daemen
Ashley Drzymala, So., OH, Daemen
Allison Fowler, Jr., S/RS, NYIT
Rachel Guida, Sr., MB, NYIT
Amelie Guinci, Sr., L, Bridgeport
Karolina Moderova, Jr., OH, NYIT
Tiffany Verni, So., OH, NYIT
Second Team
Sara Cruz, Sr., OH, Bridgeport
Bailey Dolegowski, Fr., S, Daemen
Rachel Londot, So., OH, LIU Post
Taryn McCullouch, Sr., MH, LIU Post
Ellie Rich, So., S, Bridgeport
Cassidy Stewart, Fr., MH, Queens
Danielle Valenza, Jr., OH/RS, LIU Post
Honorable Mention
Sherri Middleton, Jr., MB, Bridgeport
Frida Randen, Sr., MB/RS, Bridgeport
Player of the Year: Ashley Drzymala, Daemen
Libero of the Year: Amelie Guinci, Bridgeport
Setter of the Year: Allison Fowler, NYIT
Co-Rookie of the Year: Bailey Dolegowski, Daemen
Co-Rookie of the Year: Cassidy Stewart, Queens
Coach of the Year: Stephanie Albano, Daemen
