BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - After concluding phenomenal first seasons on The Hill, WKU volleyball's Alyssa Cavanaugh and Jessica Lucas were each named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) South All-Region Team, the organization announced Tuesday.
The All-Region honors add to the numerous accolades the pair has already received, as both were named to Conference USA's First-Team All-Conference, All-Freshman and All-Tournament teams.
The freshmen are two members of the 14 players honored and two of five newcomers in the South Region list. Cavanaugh and Lucas are also two of five C-USA student-athletes named to All-Region teams while that number extends to seven when adding those selected as honorable mentions.
WKU now has 21 All-Region selections in program history with 14 Lady Toppers earning the accolade. Including Cavanaugh and Lucas, six Lady Toppers earned the distinction in their first year of collegiate play.
Named the C-USA Freshman of the Year, Cavanaugh had a stellar freshman season with outstanding numbers, leading the team with 3.37 kills per set with 411 total kills. Her kills per set have her ranking in the top 150 in the nation while helping WKU rank top 30 with 13.97 kills per set. Her kills per set moves up to 3.84 in C-USA action, as she posted double-digit kills in 13 of 16 matches, including 20 against Middle Tennessee and a season-best 21 against North Texas. A C-USA Offensive Player of the Week, Cavanaugh is also a standout defensively, as the Louisville, Ky., native has 68 digs and 59 total blocks, including 24 block solos.
Rebounding from a summer offseason of illness, Lucas had the WKU offense clicking, guiding the team to rank 13th in the nation with a .273 hitting percentage. Lucas put in 10.88 assists per set, as she totaled 1,338 assists. Originally from Seymour, Ind., Lucas ranks in top 45 nationally in assists per set while the team is 32nd with 13.03 assists per set. Named C-USA Setter of the Week twice this season, Lucas upped her assists per game in the conference slate with 11.62. Outside of passing the ball, Lucas is one of the best in her position, leading the league's setters with 166 kills and 85 total blocks and second with 306 digs.
To view the full list, visit AVCA.org.
The 2014 WKU volleyball season is being presented by the United States Marines. This season, the Marines and WKU Athletics are working together to promote the outstanding athletic and academic achievements of our female student-athletes. The Marines are proud to work with and support these future leaders of America.
For all the latest news and information on WKU volleyball, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program on Twitter via @TravisHudsonWKU and @WKUVolleyball.
