San jacinto College Has Six Named To All-Conference Volleyball Team

(Sophomore middle blocker Alyssa Dibbern is a Region XIV first-team all-conference selection, and was also named the league’s player of the year. Photo by Jeannie Peng-Armao, San Jacinto College marketing department.)

PASADENA, TEXAS (November 14, 2010) As the third-ranked San Jacinto College volleyball team prepares for it’s sixth-straight trip to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national tournament, six players have been named to the All-Region XIV conference team, as voted by the league coaches. In addition, San Jac nabbed the player, setter, newcomer, and coach of the year honors.

Sophomores Alyssa Dibbern (Bay City / Bay City HS), Candace Soares (Mililani Hawaii / Mililani HS), and Brittany Weiler (Deer Park / Deer Park HS), and freshman Chelsey Harding (Houston / Cypress Springs HS) earned a spot on the Region XIV first team, while sophomores Amanda Deem (Pearland / Pearland HS) and Lauren Curley (Corona, Calif. / Corona HS) were named to the second team.

“It’s always a great honor to see our players recognized by the conference,” said ninth-year Head Coach Sharon Nelson, who was named the league’s coach of the year. “They work hard every day on the court and in the classroom, and this is a true testament to their dedication to the game and to San Jacinto College.”

In addition to earning first-team honors, Dibbern is also the league’s player of the year. She led the squad in kills per set at 3.51, a mark that is also 19th in the nation. She was a two-time conference player of the week selection this season, helping San Jac to a perfect 10-0 conference record. She also averages over one block per set. Dibbern was last year’s Region XIV freshman and offensive player of the year.

Soares finished the regular season second on the team in kills per set with a 3.41 average, good for 23rd in the nation. She was also one of San Jac’s top defenders, hitting the court for 3.87 digs per set, second on the team behind the libero, Deem. Soares earned NJCAA player of the week honors for the week of Sept. 6, 2010.

Weiler was named the league’s newcomer of the year. She transferred from Lamar University and split time at setter and libero. Her 3.01 assists per set was second on the team and she averaged 3.68 digs per set. She was twice selected as the conference player of the week this season – once as setter, and once as libero.

Harding led the San Jac offense, averaging 8.48 assists per set (24th in the nation), and was rewarded as the conference setter of the year. She was a conference setter of the week selection for the week of Sept. 27, 2010.

Deem led the team in digs, having started at libero most of the season. Her 6.06 digs per set is seventh in the nation. She was the conference libero of the week for the week of Oct. 25, 2010.

Curley averaged 1.61 kills per set and just under one block per set for San Jac this season. She was a league player of the week for the week of Sept. 27, 2010.

Nelson owns an overall record of 261-95 (.733) in nine seasons at San Jacinto College. San Jac finished the regular season with a 26-9 overall record, and is returning to the national championship for the sixth-straight year. The NJCAA national championship is Nov. 18-20 in West Plains, Mo.