CANTON, Ga. (November 12, 2024) – Coming off its first Southern Athletic Association volleyball championship in program history, Centre swept the major award to highlight 2024 All-Conference teams.
Emily Gardner was voted the SAA Offensive Player of the Year while teammate June Padilla was named the Defensive Player of the Year. First year Delia Long earned Newcomer of the Year honors and Patrick Robidoux won the Coach of the Year award for the second-straight season. Centre is just the second team to sweep the SAA major awards, joining Berry in 2021.
All-SAA voting and selection of the All-Sportsmanship team was conducted among the conference’s seven head coaches.
Offensive Player of the Year – Emily Gardner (Senior/Brentwood, Tenn.) – the top distributer in the conference, Gardner orchestrated the Colonels attack that led to an 11-1 record and SAA-best 13.13 kills per set in league play. The senior led the SAA and ranks No. 22 in the nation with 10.22 assists per set. Four times this season she racked up more than 50 assists in a match. She eclipsed that mark three times in SAA action, including 56 against Millsaps. She posted a .214 overall hitting percentage, adding 56 kills to the Centre offense. Gardner is the first Colonel to be voted SAA Offensive Player of the Year.
Defensive Player of the Year – June Padilla (Senior/Murfreesboro, Tenn.) – a five-time SAA Defensive Player of the Week honoree this season, Padilla led the league in digs for the regular season champion Colonels. The senior averaged 5.72 digs per set in conference play, racking up 263 in 46 SAA sets. Seven times the senior posted 20+ digs, four times she earned 30+ digs and totaled 44 in a five-set win over Millsaps. Padilla also ranked third in the SAA with 22 service aces against conference teams. She is the second Centre standout named conference Defensive Player of the Year, joining Paige Poggemeier in 2013.
Newcomer of the Year – Delia Long (First Year/Nicholasville, Ky.) – an outside hitter who was an immediate offensive force, Long was instrumental to the Colonels regular season title run. In league play, she ranks eighth with 2.68 kills per set. Seven time she hit double-digit kills, five times in conference games. Long had a monster night against Rhodes, hitting .306 with 15 kills in a three-set victory. She joins teammates Syd Bietz (2023) and Ally Knueven (2022) to give Centre the last three Newcomer awards.
Coach of the Year – Patrick Robidoux (6th season) – for the second-straight season, Centre leader Patrick Robidoux was voted the SAA Coach of the Year. He guided the Colonels to their first SAA regular season title and top-seed in the conference tournament. Robidoux has improved Centre’s record each of the last six seasons, culminating in a 21-5 overall mark and 11-1 record in conference play. This year he mentored each of the SAA Players of the Year and boasts the last three conference Newcomer of the Year awards.
2024 Volleyball All-SAA
Offensive Player of the Year – Emily Gardner, Centre
Defensive Player of the Year – June Padilla, Centre
Newcomer of the Year – Delia Long, Centre
Coach of the Year – Patrick Robidoux, Centre
First Team All-SAA
Ally Baer, Millsaps
Syd Bietz, Centre
Bella Boston, Berry
Riley Brady, Hendrix
Anna Capezzera, Millsaps
Yzzi Dsamou, Rhodes
Emily Gardner, Centre
June Padilla, Centre
Lura Underwood, Berry
Second Team All-SAA
Sandy Bourgeois, Millsaps
Sophia Caruso, Sewanee
Zoe Elder, Millsaps
Savannah Gann, Sewanee
Briella Kohler, Oglethorpe
Keira Kruk, Berry
Autumn Lilly, Oglethorpe
Lindsey MacDiarmid, Berry
Gracie Sims, Oglethorpe
Mack Turner, Centre
Kym Young, Rhodes
Honorable Mention:
Ana Bastos, Hendrix
Tate Hollye, Centre
Andrea Hurt, Berry
Mary Addisyn Stubbs, Hendrix
Lilly Teagle, Berry
Kate Whittle, Berry
All-Sportsmanship Team:
Berry – Hope Kimsey
Centre - Emma Howell
Hendrix - Eliana Oden
Millsaps - Mallory Richardson
Oglethorpe - Camdyn George
Rhodes – KK Sowers
Sewanee - Olivia Jones
All-Time SAA Player of the Year
|
Offense |
Defense |
Newcomer |
Coach |
| 2024 |
Emily Gardner, Centre |
June Padilla, Centre |
Delia Long, Centre |
Patrick Robidoux, Centre |
| 2023 |
Bella Boston, Berry |
Kate Whittle, Berry |
Syd Bietz, Centre |
Patrick Robidoux, Centre |
| 2022 |
Peyton Breissinger, Berry |
Kate Whittle, Berry |
Ally Knueven, Centre |
Caitlyn Moriarty, Berry |
| 2021 |
Emily Rapach, Berry |
Laura Beier, Berry |
Cypress Guenther, Berry |
Caitlyn Moriarty, Berry |
| 2020-21 |
Laura Beier, Berry |
Laura Beier, Berry |
Camryn Presley, Hendrix |
Anna Braun, Oglethorpe |
| 2019 |
Carson VanCampen, Berry |
Laura Beier, Berry |
Alyssa Coats, BSC |
Haven O'Quinn, BSC |
| 2018 |
Emily Hancock, Berry |
Laura Beier, Berry |
Ellie Pedersen, Sewanee |
Caitlyn Moriarty, Berry |
| 2017 |
Hannah Kate Thompson, Berry |
Ashley Zamjahn, Millsaps |
Destiny Stewart, Sewanee |
Caitlyn Moriarty, Berry |
| 2016 |
Sara Dyslin, Hendrix |
Katie Truluck, Berry |
Lauren Dwyer, Hendrix |
Angie Boldt, Hendrix |
| 2015 |
Katie O'Rourke, Berry |
Ashley Zamjahn, Millsaps |
Jeneva Salter, BSC |
Ryan Meek, Hendrix |
| 2014 |
Caroline McKey, Millsaps |
Sara Jayne Sutton, Sewanee |
Lauren Petrisin, Hendrix |
Ryan Meek, Hendrix |
| 2013 |
Stephanie Quinn, Berry |
Paige Poggemeier, Centre |
Mary Caroline Rogers, Hendrix |
Mika Robinson, Berry |
| 2012 |
Kasey Laird, Millsaps |
Megan MaKuck, Oglethorpe |
Emily Stromberg, Berry |
Shawna Lurendine, Sewanee |