West Babylon, N.Y. – The East Coast Conference Volleyball All-Conference Teams were announced on Friday morning. Daemen standout Maggie Burns (Louisville, Ky.) was named the league’s Player of the Year. Olivia Alessi (East Aurora, N.Y.) of Daemen and Yarianne Gonzalez (Manati, Puerto Rico) of Mercy shared the Setter of the Year honor. Freshman standouts Ryan Fronterra (Dripping Springs, Texas) of Queens and Kaitlin Jordan (Waunakee, Wis.) of Molloy snagged top honors with Frontera selected as the Libero of the Year while Jordan earned the Rookie of the Year award.
Burns takes home the Player of the Year honor after leading the conference with 3.49 kills per set and 4.0 points per set while ranking third with 213 total kills. In addition, the three-time Player of the Week ranked in the top 10 in the conference with a .240 hitting percentage (8th) and 3.23 digs per set (7th).
Burns had help from the ECC’s Co-Setter of the Year, Alessi. A two-time All-Conference honoree, Alessi compiled 465 assists for 8.94 per set. Both totals ranked in the top four in the conference. Her ledger also includes 137 digs and 24 service aces.
Gonzalez is the other half of the Co-Setter of the Year duo after leading the ECC with 9.94 assists per set. Her overall total of 706 assists ranks second and just one assist behind the leader. Gonzalez added 55 kills and 172 digs on the year.
Frontera gets the nod as the Libero of the Year after leading the ECC with 401 digs, good for 5.08 per set which was over one full dig per set more than the runner-up. Her digs per set total ranks 36th nationally, as well. Frontera contributed from the service line too, ranking eighth in the loop with 28 service aces.
Jordan was named the league’s top newcomer after being a force at the net. She ranked fourth in the conference with 54 total blocks and 38 block assists and seventh with 16 solo blocks. On top of her blocking prowess, Jordan tallied 147 kills on a .177 hitting percentage and added 24 service aces.
Wrapping up the top honors is Daemen head coach Eli Irizarry, who has been selected as the ECC Coach of the Year. In his debut season, Irizarry led the Wildcats to a perfect run through ECC play to win the league’s regular season championship. Additionally, Irizarry has Daemen on the cusp of an NCAA Championship berth with a No. 3 ranking in the latest East Region poll.
2022 ECC Volleyball All-Conference
First Team
Maggie Burns, Sr., OH, Daemen
Ryann Frontera, Fr., L, Queens
Stephanie Lankhorst, Sr., MB, Mercy
Sam Logan, Gr., OH, Daemen
Vanessa Kuliga, Jr., MB, Daemen
Kiarra Roth, Jr., OH, Molloy
Larissa Schneid, Sr., OH, Mercy
Second Team
Olivia Alessi, Jr., S, Daemen
Jasmine Brundage, Jr., L Daemen
Alexis Deodat, Jr., RS/MB, Queens
Kathleen Doherty, Jr., OH, Molloy
Yarianne Gonzalez, Sr., S, Mercy
Kaitlin Jordan, Fr., M, Molloy
Julia Pomerleau, Sr., MB, Mercy
Honorable Mention
Christina Franco, So., OH, Queens
Giselle Giraud, Jr., OH/RS, Daemen
Anyelainy Vizcaino Arajuo, Jr., OH/RS, Mercy
* Three players on Honorable Mention due to a tie in the voting
Player of the Year: Maggie Burns, Daemen
Co-Setter of the Year: Oliva Alessi, Daemen
Co-Setter of the Year: Yarianne Gonzalez, Mercy
Libero of the Year: Ryann Frontera, Queens
Rookie of the Year: Kaitlin Jordan, Molloy
Coach of the Year: Eli Irizarry, Daemen
