PALATKA, Fla. (November 3, 2022) – The Florida College System Activities Association announced its Division II All-FCSAA/All-NJCAA Region 8 volleyball team on Thursday evening.
Headlining the 12-member team is Palm Beach State College's Allison Bryant, who received the Dulcie "Cookie" Stevens Award, presented to the FCSAA & NJCAA Region 8 Division II Player of the Year.
Bryant, a sophomore outside hitter from Kelseyville, Calif., averaged 4.4 kills and 3.4 digs per set over 17 matches during the 2022 season. She also averaged 0.4 blocks and 0.6 service aces while posting a .296 hitting percentage, helping Palm Beach State to a first-place finish in the Sun-Lakes South Division and the No. 4 seed in the FCSAA/NJCAA Gulf District Tournament.
Bryant ranks second in Region 8 in kills/set and is fourth in total kills. She is also #5 in hitting percentage and third in service aces/set. She was named Region 8 Player of the Week on October 18.
The FCSAA Player of the Year is voted on by the Division II FCSAA Volleyball Coaches.
In addition to Bryant, members of the All-FCSAA/All-NJCAA Region 8 team include (in alphabetical order):
Cassidy Casey, St. Johns River State
Sophomore | MB | Pearland, Texas
Averaged 2.8 kills, 0.2 assists, 0.7 blocks and 0.5 digs per set over 33 matches...posted a .310 hitting percentage, which ranks fourth in Region 8...her 310 total kills is second in the region.
Annabell Chancy, Gulf Coast State
Freshman | MB | Wakulla, Fla.
Averaged 2.3 kills per set over 21 matches and posted a Region 8 best .428 hitting percentage...also averaged 0.8 blocks, which ranks fourth in Region 8, and 0.2 digs per set.
Hope Harrington, St. Johns River State
Sophomore | MB | Spokane, Wash.
Averaged 1.95 kills and 0.5 digs per set over 29 matches...also averaged 0.4 blocks and 0.1 service aces while posting a .248 hitting percentage...ranks in Region 8's top 20 in total kills (19th, 179), hitting percentage (12th), block assist (16th, 35)...nabbed a Region 8 Player of the Week honor on November 1.
Bianca Johnson, St. Petersburg
Sophomore| OH| Lakeland, Fla.
Averaged 4.5 kills and 1.9 digs per set over 15 matches...also averaged 0.2 assists and 0.1 blocks while posting a .173 hitting percentage...leads Region 8 in kills/set and is fifth in total kills.
Julia Neveu, Pensacola State
Sophomore | DS | Spring, Texas
Averaged 4.7 digs per set over 31 matches...also averaged 0.2 assists and 0.4 service aces while posting a .143 hitting percentage...sits atop Region 8 in total digs with 515 and her 4.7 digs per set ranks fourth in the region...named Region 8 Defensive Player of the Week on September 13.
Ava Pringle, Florida State College at Jacksonville
Sophomore | OH | DeLand, Fla.
Averaged 3.7 kills, third-best in Region 8, and 4.6 digs per set over 12 matches...also averaged 0.1 assists, 0.1 blocks and 0.2 service aces while posting a .274 hitting percentage...was the Region 8 Player of the Week on October 11.
Yeishlanie Reyes, South Florida State
Sophomore | Libero | St. Cloud, Fla.
Averaged 4.96 digs per set over 19 matches...also averaged 1.4 assists...ranks second in Region 8 in digs per set...was named Region 8 Defensive Player of the Week on October 25.
Anyaliz Rodriguez, Pensacola State
Freshman| OH | Milton, Fla.
Averaged 3.3 kills and 3.8 digs per set over 31 matches, the former ranking fifth in Region 8...also averaged 0.1 assists, 0.5 blocks and 0.3 service aces while posting a .161 hitting percentage...is the only player in Region 8 in the top five in total kills (1st, 369) and total digs (3rd, 416)...is a three-time Region 8 Player of the Week and also claimed a Defensive Player of the Week Award.
Jenna Schuliger, Gulf Coast State
Freshman| Setter | Niceville, Fla.
Averaged 6.9 assists and 1.6 digs per set over 24 matches...also averaged 0.2 kills, 0.1 blocks and 0.7 service aces while posting a .167 hitting percentage...is fourth in Region 8 in assists/set and second in service aces/set.
Kendall Steinert, State College of Florida
Freshman | Setter | Englewood, Fla.
Averaged 8.7 assists and 2.9 digs per set over 26 matches...also averaged 0.6 kills, 0.4 blocks and 0.4 service aces while posting a .213 hitting percentage...leads Region 8 and is 24th nationally in assists/set...her 846 total assists ranks second in the region and she's third in total assists...three-time Region 8 Setter of the Week and was named NJCAA Offensive Player of the Week on September 21.
Nina Vallesi, Palm Beach State
Sophomore | MB| Milan, Italy
Averaged 1.98 kills and 1.4 digs per set over 17 matches...also averaged 0.5 blocks and 0.4 service aces while posting a .245 hitting percentage, which ranks 14th in Region 8...also top 30 in kills/set (24th), service aces/set (18th), total service aces (27th, 23), total blocks (28th, 31) and blocks/set (17th).
Ten of the 12 All-FCSAA honorees will be participating in the Division II FCSAA/NJCAA Gulf District Tournament, which begins Friday morning in Palatka, Fla. They were also recognized as part of the Sun-Lakes Conference Awards, also announced on Thursday.
In addition to Bryant (Player of the Year), Pensacola State's Patricia Gandolfo was named Sun-Lakes Conference Coach of the Year. She led the Pirates to the #1 seed in the FCSAA Tournament and a 24-7 overall and 10-3 record in Sun-Lakes play.