BOSTON – After leading Binghamton to the 2024 America East volleyball regular-season title, Tsvetelina Ilieva joined elite company on Tuesday becoming just the second-ever #AEVB standout to be named the conference’s Player of the Year for a third-straight year. Ilieva highlighted the major award winners, All-Conference, All-Rookie and All-Academic selections announced on Wednesday afternoon ahead of the America East Championship.
Ilieva was joined as major award winners by teammate Lottie Scully (Setter of the Year), UMBC’s Aysia Miller (Libero of the Year), UAlbany’s Maria Olga Siapani (Rookie of the Year) and UAlbany’s coaches led by Josh Pickard (Coaching Staff of the Year).
The All-Conference teams, All-Rookie team and major awards were determined in a vote by the league’s six head coaches who could not vote for their own players. The All-Academic team was voted on by a committee of administrators from the conference’s member institutions.
2024 #AEVB Major Awards
Player of the Year
Tsvetelina Ilieva, Sr., Outside Hitter, Binghamton
- Was a unanimous selection.
- Joins UAlbany great Blair Buchanan (2004-06) as the only players to earn America East Player of the Year honors three times.
- Led the league and ranks 10th nationally averaging 4.7 kills per set.
- Paces the conference and ranks ninth nationally with 5.5 points per set.
- Hitting .275 while also averaging 2.33 digs and 0.59 blocks per set.
- Was named America East Player of the Week five times this season.
- Also a first-team All-Conference and All-Academic selection.
Setter of the Year
Lottie Scully, Jr., Setter, Binghamton
- Was a unanimous selection.
- Binghamton’s first Setter of the Year since 2017 and just its third all time.
- Leads the conference averaging 8.2 assists per set.
- Has paced Binghamton to a .250 team hitting percentage, the best in the league.
- Was named America East Setter of the Week five times this season.
- Also a first-team All-Conference and All-Academic selection.
Libero of the Year
Aysia Miller, Gr., Libero, UMBC
- Was a unanimous selection.
- Claims Libero of the Year honors after earning Defensive Specialist of the Year accolades in 2022.
- Her 4.5 digs per set lead the league and rank in the top 75 nationally.
- Was named America East Defensive Specialist of the Week five times this season.
- Was a second-team All-Conference and All-Academic choice.
Rookie of the Year
Maria Olga Siapani, Fr., Setter, UAlbany
- First Great Dane to earn the Rookie of the Year honors since 2017 and the sixth in program history.
- The setter ranks second in the conference averaging 8.4 assists per set.
- Added 2.6 digs per set.
- Earned a league-best six America East Rookie of the Week honors and was also named Setter of the Week five times.
- Also a second-team All-Conference and All-Rookie choice
Coaching Staff of the Year:
UAlbany Great Danes
- Led UAlbany back to the America East Championship after a two-year absence.
- The Great Danes won five of their final seven conference matches after starting 0-3 to qualify.
- This is UAlbany’s second Coaching Staff of the Year award under Josh Pickard (2019).
- Pickard is assisted by Heather Feldman and Chris Carter.
Binghamton led all programs with four total All-Conference selections, including three first teamers. The Bearcats are the first program since 2018 to have three players earn First-Team honors in the same year. UMBC and New Hampshire each had three selections, while UAlbany and Bryant had two apiece.
Siapani paced the All-Rookie choices along with Hannah Dobbs, who also earned second-team All-Conference recognition.
The star-studded All-Academic team featured six All-Conference honorees among the eight selections, including four first-team honorees. The group averages a 3.83 GPA.
The majority of the award honorees will be in action at the 2024 America East Volleyball Championship, which starts Friday at Binghamton University. For more information, visit Championship Central.
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