THREE RAMS NAMED TO ALL-CAA VOLLEYBALL TEAMS
NEWARK, Del. – Senior Courtney Hott (Fredericksburg, Va.), redshirt junior Kristin Boyd (Wilmington, N.C.) and freshman Cecilia Aragao (Recife, Brazil) were named to All-Colonial Athletic Association teams Thursday at the annual league championship banquet.
It's the fifth straight year that the multiple Rams have earned All-CAA honors. The awards are the first all-conference honors for all three VCU players.
Hott a 6-foot-2 middle blocker is enjoying a career year for the Rams. The senior co-captain leads the team and ranks third in the CAA in blocks per set at 1.21, which ranks in the top 50 nationally. Hott has been even better in CAA matches, averaging 1.33 blocks per set. She's also hitting .300 and averaging 1.98 kills. Behind Hott, the Rams are averaging a league-best 2.77 kills per set, a mark that ranks 16th in the country.
While Hott has anchored the Rams' defense this season, the same could be said of Boyd's work on offense. The 6-foot-2 outside hitter is averaging 3.49 kills and 1.26 digs per set while hitting .204. In CAA matches, Boyd has produced 3.64 kills per set. Boyd's 384 kills this season rank 11th in VCU single-season history. Earlier this year, she became the eighth Ram to reach 900 career kills.
VCU has placed a freshman on the CAA's All-Rookie Team five straight years following Aragao's citation Thursday. The 5-foot-10 setter is averaging 9.46 assists per set. Behind Aragao's steady hand, the Rams have hit a CAA-best .236 this season, VCU's best mark in more than a decade. Aragao has also supplied 2.24 digs, 0.92 blocks and .89 kills per set, while hitting .301. She also leads the Rams in service aces and double-doubles.
2011 ALL-CAA VOLLEYBALL TEAMS
Selected by CAA Volleyball Coaches
FIRST TEAM
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School
Natalie Abel, James Madison Jr. OH Washington, Pa./Trinity
Alissa Alker, Delaware Jr. OH San Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch
Katy Buck, Towson So. OH Catonsville, Md./Mount de Sales Academy
Renee Tomko, Delaware Sr. S Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson (Louisville)
Janelle Tucker, Northeastern So. OH Encino, Calif./Campbell Hall
Vineece Verdun, Georgia State Sr. MB Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Andover
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School
Kristin Boyd, VCU Jr. OH Wilmington, N.C./John T. Hoggard
Courtney Hott, VCU Sr. MB Fredericksburg, Va./Courtland
Aubrey Kirven, Towson Jr. S Uniontown, Ohio/Lake (Loyola)
Christi Laite, UNCW So. RS Severna Park, Md./Severna Park
Chelsea Lawrence, Delaware Jr. MH Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township
Natalia Skiba, Northeastern Fr. L Westmont, Ill./Hinsdale Central
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School
Kelly Bacon, Northeastern So. OH Temecula, Calif./Temecula Valley
Danielle Erb, James Madison Jr. OH Tampa, Fla./Plant
Muki Kangwa, Georgia State Sr. OH Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers
Nichole Kurz, Northeastern So. MH San Diego, Calif./Patrick Henry
Kylee Maneja, Hofstra Jr. L/OH Kapolei, Hawaii/Sacred Hearts Academy
Kim Stewart, Delaware Sr. OH Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood
Lana Zonjic, George Mason So. OH Zagreb, Croatia/II Gimnazjia Zagreb
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School
Cecilia Aragao, VCU Fr. S Recife, Brazil/Colegio Contato
Jillian Briner, Northeastern Fr. S/OH Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park & River Forest
Kristi Richardson, James Madison Fr. S Glen Allen, Va./Hermitage
Paige Sekerak, Towson Fr. DS Montgomery Village, Md./Poolesville
Natalia Skiba, Northeastern Fr. L Westmont, Ill./Hinsdale Central
Kelsie Wills, Hofstra Fr. OH Matamata, New Zealand/Matamata College
2011 CAA Setter of the Year: Renee Tomko, Delaware
2011 CAA Defensive Specialist of the Year: Natalia Skiba, Northeastern
2011 CAA Rookie of the Year: Jillian Briner, Northeastern
2011 CAA Coach of the Year: Bruce Atkinson, Towson
