DALLAS – Conference USA bestowed postseason honors on Alessia Sgherza and Myah Conway of the Old Dominion volleyball team, the conference announced on Thursday. Sgherza was named to the All-C-USA Second Team for the second year in a row, and Conway earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team.
Alessia Sgherza | Gr. | OH | Massa, Italy
Sgherza played in 22 of ODU's 26 matches this season, starting 19 times. She led ODU in points per set (3.26) and kills per set (2.79) and totaled 254 points, 218 kills, 148 digs (1.90 per set) and 41 blocks (0.53 per set). Her mark of 2.79 kills per set also ranks 14th in Conference USA.
The graduate student had three double-doubles on the season, including two against fellow conference member Marshall. In ODU's first game with the Thundering Herd, Sgherza matched her own program kills record with 24 while adding 13 digs. The following day, she posted 18 kills and 17 digs. On the season, she reached double figures in kills 10 times, including in eight conference matches. Additionally, she hit .400 or better twice this season and had a six-block performance against Middle Tennessee on Nov. 5.
Myah Conway | Fr. | RS | Orwigsburg, Pa.
Conway played in all 26 matches this season as a freshman, starting 20 of them. She totaled 231.5 points (2.60 per set), 195 kills (2.19 per set) and 70 blocks (0.79 per set). The rightside hitter ranked 28th in C-USA in kills per set and reached double-figures in kills nine times with five coming against C-USA opponents.
Conway had a personal-best 16 kills against MTSU (Nov. 5), hitting .414 in the process. She hit .400 or better in three matches and better than .300 six times. The native of Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania notched 11 blocks against UAB (Oct. 1), the second-most by a C-USA player in a single match this season. Conway was a two-time C-USA Freshman of the Week, earning the recognition on Sept. 20 and Nov. 8.
WKU's Lauren Matthews received Alyssa Cavanaugh Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors. Hilltopper's head coach Travis Hudson was also recognized as Coach of the Year. Rice's Carly Graham picked up Setter of the Year Honors, Marley Banton of Middle Tennessee was the conference's Libero of the Year and Giada Bianchi of FIU was named the Freshman of the Year.
The Conference USA Volleyball Championship runs Nov. 19-21 at the ODU Volleyball Center in Norfolk.
2021 Conference USA Volleyball All-Conference Award Winners
Alyssa Cavanaugh Player of the Year – Lauren Matthews, WKU
Defensive Player of the Year – Lauren Matthews, WKU
Setter of the Year – Carly Graham, Rice
Libero of the Year – Marley Banton, Middle Tennessee
Freshman of the Year – Giada Bianchi, FIU
Coach of the Year – Travis Hudson, WKU
All-Conference First Team
Sydney Rowen, Charlotte
Giada Bianchi, FIU
Ciara DeBell, Marshall
Rhett Robinson, North Texas
Anota Adekunle, Rice
Carly Graham, Rice
Nicole Lennon, Rice
Fernanda Maida, UAB
Serena Patterson, UTEP
Paige Briggs, WKU
Nadia Dieudonne, WKU
Lauren Matthews, WKU
All-Conference Second Team
Emani' Foster, Charlotte
Amani McArther, Charlotte
McKenzie Johnson, Louisiana Tech
Marley Banton, Middle Tennessee
Samira Lawson Body, Middle Tennessee
Sarah Haeussler, North Texas
Alessia Sgherza, Old Dominion
Ellie Bichelmeyer, Rice
Mia Wesley, Southern Miss
Alex Kells, UAB
Alianza Darley, UTEP
Katie Isenbarger, WKU
Kayland Jackson, WKU
All-Freshman Team
Giada Bianchi, FIU
Katelyn Robine, Florida Atlantic
McKenzie Johnson, Louisiana Tech
Andrea Owens, North Texas
Myah Conway, Old Dominion
Shaylee Shore, Rice
Ema Uskokovic, UTEP
Katie Howard, WKU
Sgherza, Conway Earn Postseason C-USA Recognition
