November 14, 2008

Eight NEWMAC Student-Athletes Earn AVCA All-Region Accolades

Babson Park, Mass. - The New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) placed eight student-athletes on the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III All New England Region team, including seven named to the first team. In addition, Joel Dearing, coach of the NEWMAC champion Springfield College Pride, was named the Division III New England Coach of the Year.

NEWMAC runner-up Wellesley College, received four of the eight honorees, as Alice Cummings (Tallahassee, Fla.), Jessica Duff (Milton, Abingdon, UK) and Emily Peters (Temescal Valley, Calif.) were named to the first team. Samantha Du (Houston, Texas) was an honorable mention selection. NEWMAC Player of the Year, Heather Lively (Royalston, Mass.) was joined by teammate Aylene Ilkson (Baldwin, N.Y.) on the regional squad. Nicole Gurr (Acton, Calif.) of Coast Guard was named to the team for the third time and MIT junior Alex May (Des Moines, Iowa) received the distinction for the second time. May is also a former AVCA New England Rookie of the Year.

Dearing, who recently received NEWMAC Coach of the Year plaudits, was selected as the Regional Coach of the Year after helping the Pride capture their first NEWMAC tournament championship and first NCAA tournament berth since 2004. Springfield is currently the top seed in the New England Regional of the NCAA Division III tournament. They knocked off Keene State in a first round match and will look to advance to the regional final when they take on Williams this afternoon.