Four Spartans Earn All-South Region Accolades; SSC Well Represented
TAMPA, Fla. – Fourteen Sunshine State Conference volleyball student-athletes earn AVCA Division II South-Region Team honors following the 2022 season. Four student-athletes earned honorable mention honors. Voting for the team was conducted among the league's volleyball coaches.
Diana Akopova from Barry University captures Player of the Year honors. The outside hitter from Mozdok, Russia, becomes the seventh Buccaneer named Player of the Year and the first since 20101. Akopova finished the season first in league kills (540), kills per set (5.45), points (607.5), and points per game (6.14). Additionally, the sophomore finished seventh in SSC hitting percentage (.293), 15th in total blocks (77), and 17th in blocks per set (.78).
SSC Volleyball History: ALL-SSC Teams | Players & Coaches of the Year | Conference Champions | National Champions
Tess Schrenger of Tampa is named the South Region Freshman of the Year. The outside hitter from Louisville, Kentucky finished the season with 290 kills, with 2.57 kills per set, 350.5 points, with 3.1 points per set, and 252 digs, with 2.23 digs per set.
Barry's Leonid Yelin was chosen as the 2022 South Region Coach of the Year by his peers. Under Yelin's leadership, the Buccaneers finished the regular season with a 25-5 overall record. Barry travels to Seattle, Washington for the NCAA Championships in early December under Yelin.
Three Spartans were named to the South Region Team, including Senior libero Claudia Rivera of Puerto Rico. She is joined by teammates Kalli Cors, and Mackenzie Dufresne. The honorable mentions include Anna Jungjohann of Eckerd College, Lexie Laurendine of Mississippi College, Monica Mazzoleni of Lynn University, Tess Schrenger of Tampa, Taylor Stockman of Nova Southeastern, and Jordan Vick of Union (TN).
South Region Player of the Year: Diana Akopova, Barry
South Region Freshman of the Year: Tess Schrenger, University of Tampa
South Region Coach of the Year: Leonid Yelin, Barry