4 Volleyball Players Earn USA South Awards

The USA South Athletic Conference has announced its 2021 All-Conference awards for volleyball. Individually, the Southern Virginia duo of Courtney Pinkston and Sydney Hopkin were named Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, respectively, while Berea's Fabiana De Jesus earned Libero of the Year honors and Maryville's Kandis Schram collected Coach of the Year accolades. Additionally, the USA South recognized an All-Sportsmanship Team, consisting of one member from each competing school who their coach felt displayed the best sportsmanship this season.

All awards are voted on by the volleyball coach at each institution. The divisional team voting is completed only by those coaches in the particular division. The all-conference and individual award voting is completed by all coaches.

Pinkston, a junior outside hitter from Gilbert, Arizona becomes the first Knight, in the program's first season within the Conference, to be named USA South Player of the Year in the sport of volleyball. She currently leads the League in kills (409), kills per set (3.79), points (482.5) and points per set (4.5). Pinkston also sits second in total attacks (1,108) and sixth in service aces (60). Against USA South opponents, Pinkston led the way with 264 kills, 4.00 kills per set, 712 attacks, 311.0 points, and 4.7 points per set. She collects First Team All-Conference and First Team East Division accolades to go along with being named USA South Player of the Week once during the fall.

Hopkin, a freshman outside hitter from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, becomes the first Knight, in the program's first season within the Conference, to be named USA South Rookie of the Year in the sport of volleyball. Currently, Hopkin is averaging 2.68 kills and 0.95 digs per set and has compiled a rookie-best 289 kills to rank eighth in the Conference. Against USA South competition-only, Hopkin led all rookies in kills (191) and kills per set (2.89) as each of those two figures placed her in the top-five among all League players. For her efforts this season, Hopkin received Second Team East Division honors while being named USA South Rookie of the Week once.

De Jesus, a senior libero from Caguas, Puerto Rico becomes the first Berea volleyball student-athlete to earn an individual "of the Year" honor. De Jesus leads the Conference with 648 digs, more than 100 more than the player sitting in second. Additionally, De Jesus is averaging the second-most digs per set in the Conference with 5.40 to go along with 0.78 assists per set. Against Conference foes this fall, De Jesus compiled 308 digs, good for a 5.50 per set average to go along with an average of 0.80 assists per set. Finally, De Jesus was selected First Team West Division for the second consecutive season while being named USA South Defensive Player of the Week twice.

Schram, in her 36th year leading Maryville, earns her fourth USA South Volleyball Coach of the Year honor. The Scots captured the USA South's West Division championship, the program's fourth regular season title, after posting another unblemished mark in Conference action. With this fall's 16-0 USA South record, the Scots have now completed the last three seasons without dropping a Conference match. Maryville's current League winning streak is now at 38 matches. Overall, the Scots boast a 21-8 record and head into the USA South Tournament semifinals as the West's top seed, looking to capture the tournament crown for the second consecutive time, not counting last year's COVID-altered divisional title, which would be the fourth in program history.

The 2021 USA South Volleyball All-Conference Team: