NYIT's Yonker Named AVCA East Region Freshman of the Year

NYIT's Yonker Named AVCA East Region Freshman of the Year

NYIT libero, Jamie Yonker, has been named the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) East Region Freshman of the Year to headline this season's All-Region selections from the East Coast Conference. In addition, five volleyball standouts from the ECC have been named to the AVCA and Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (D2CCA) All-Region teams.

Yonker started her collegiate career with a bang, previously earning the ECC Libero and Rookie of the Year honors. She led the conference with 666 digs and 5.84 digs per set. She also ranked in the top-10 in the league with 31 service aces. Her dig and dig per set totals were also among the top-25 in all of Division II and her dig mark set an NYIT single-season record. Yonker's outstanding play earned her a spot on the D2CCA Second Team and AVCA Honorable Mention list, as well.

NYIT's Tiffany Verni and Molloy's Kacey Affrunti joined Yonker as consensus All-Region selections. Verni was on the AVCA list and earned D2CCA First Team honors after claiming the ECC Player of the Year award. The senior outside hitter led the ECC with 503 kills, 4.41 kills per set, and 4.8 points per set. Her kills per set (10th) and points per set (9th) marks finished in the top-10 in the nation, while her total kills number ranked 12th.

Affrunti earned her second straight AVCA and D2CCA Second Team selections. The ECC First Team All-Conference pick finished in the top-five in the league with 316 kills, 3.07 kills per set, a .283 hitting percentage, 43 service aces, 0.42 service aces per set, and 55 block assists.

Affrunti's teammates Carly Banks and Sophia Smith round out the ECC's All-Region representation with AVCA nods. Banks was selected for the second straight year after finishing third in the ECC with 327 kills and second with 3.17 kills per set. Smith, the ECC Co-Setter of the Year, led the league with 9.93 assists per set and finished second with 1,023 assists.

To view the full D2CCA All-East Region Team, click here.
To view the full AVCA All-East Region Team, click here