Women's Volleyball | 12/6/2023 12:26:00 PM
December 6, 2023-For the first time since 2010 the Emporia State Volleyball program has an All-American.
Sandora Sasaki was named Third-Team All-American by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA).
The junior outside hitter was a unanimous First-Team All-MIAA selection. She led the MIAA with 503 kills and an Emporia State single season record 4.84 kills per set average. She is the first Hornet to record at least 500 kills in a season since Arica Shepard had 524 in 35 matches during the 2009 season. It is the third highest kill total by a Hornet in the 21st century.
She is ranked third in the nation in kills per set and sixth in points per set. She was the only player in NCAA Division II with at least 25 kills in three different four set matches during this regular season.
Sasaki had seven 20+ kill matches this season to tie Kendra Dawson (1992) for second all-time on the ESU single season list and move into a tie with Sarah Collins (1998-2001), Nikki Runnebaum (1996-2000), Petal Nelson (1995-96) and Leah Griswold (2003-06) for third on the ESU career list of 20+ kill matches.
This is the first time a Hornet volleyball player has earned All-American honors since 2010 when Brittney Miller was named First-Team and Ting Liu was honorable mention by the AVCA. That year Miller was also named Second-Team CoSIDA All-American.
Sasaki was one of just two MIAA players to earn D2CCA All-American honors. A total of 21 student-athletes from 18 institutions are represented on the three All-America Teams in 2023.
Sports Information Directors from NCAA Division II schools and conferences sponsoring women's volleyball selected the D2 CCA All-America Team. The process begins at the regional level with all First Team All-Region picks advancing to the national ballot. This marks the 16th year that teams have been selected since the All-America program began in 2006.
The Division II Conference Commissioners Association encourages and promotes Division II athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education. The CCA is a key communications link among the conferences as they discuss views, policies and regulations that impact Division II intercollegiate athletics and works closely with the NCAA as a communications channel to NCAA Division II member colleges and universities.
Emporia State finished the 2023 season 13-16 overall and 7-13 in the MIAA. It was a nine game improvement overall and a six game improvement in conference play from last season. Of Emporia State's 16 losses, 11 came to teams that were ranked or receiving votes in the AVCA National Poll at the time.
2023 Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2 CCA) Women's Volleyball All-America Team
FIRST TEAM
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| OH |
Kenzie Foley |
St. Cloud State |
Sr. |
Sergeant Bluff, Iowa |
| OH |
Cassidy Snider |
Clarion |
Sr. |
Harmonsburg, Pa. |
| OH |
Emily Elliott |
Cal State LA |
Jr. |
Costa Mesa, Calif. |
| MH |
Taya Beller1 |
Wayne State (Neb.) College |
Jr. |
Lindsay, Neb. |
| MH |
Maggie Brahmer1 |
Wayne State (Neb.) College |
Jr. |
Pierce, Neb. |
| L/DS |
Jaedynn Evans2 |
University of Central Oklahoma |
Jr.. |
Kalona, Iowa |
| S |
Teagan Starkey |
Concordia-St. Paul |
Jr. |
Lakeville, Minn. |
Ron Lenz Player of the Year: Kenzie Foley, St. Cloud State
SECOND TEAM
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| OH |
Lexie Rang |
University of Missouri-St. Louis |
Sr. |
Miamisburg, Ohio |
| OH |
Jordyn Gates |
Grand Valley State |
Jr. |
Grand Rapids, Mich. |
| OH |
Sydney Leffler |
Colorado Mesa |
Jr. |
Eaton, Colo. |
| MH |
Maggie Young |
Wingate |
Sr. |
Waxhaw, N.C. |
| MH |
Sarah Wight |
Grand Valley State |
Sr. |
Port Huron, Mich. |
| L/DS |
Maureen Reilly |
Rockhurst |
Sr. |
Overland Park, Kan. |
| S |
Caitlin Bishop |
University of Missouri-St. Louis |
So. |
Lansing, Kan. |
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THIRD TEAM
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| OH |
Nadia Lindner |
Nova Southeastern |
Sr. |
Whitby, Ontario |
| OH |
Sandora Sasaki |
Emporia State |
Jr. |
Kawasaki, Japan |
| OH |
Vanja Przulj |
UNC Pembroke |
Sr. |
Belgrade, Serbia |
| MH |
Nadine Burbrink |
Regis University |
Sr. |
Bavaria, Germany |
| MH |
Jenna Patton |
CSU-San Bernardino |
Sr. |
Rialto, Calif. |
| L/DS |
Jamie Yonker |
Adelphi |
Sr. |
Old Bethpage |
| S |
Jaden Drollinger |
University of Bridgeport |
Jr. |
Queens Creek, Ariz. |
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1 - 2022 D2 CCA First Team All-America
2 - 2022 D2 CCA Second Team All-America
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