Women’s Volleyball Garners Three All-NECC Selections; Eliana Baran Named Player and Rookie of the Year, Schmitt Voted Co-Coach of the Year

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College women's volleyball team earned three All-New England Collegiate Conference nods as Eliana Baran (Beaumont, Calif.) was swept the NECC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards and head coach Derek Schmitt was voted NECC Co-Coach of the Year.

Joining Baran on the All-NECC team were Ruth Aguilar (Tegucigalpa, Honduras) and Emma Graves (Berkshire, N.Y.). Rookie Piper Bolner (LaGrangeville, N.Y.) earned a spot on the NECC Del Malloy Sportsmanship Team.

Baran racked up a league-best 41 kills in conference play and ranked second in the NECC with 280 kills on the year. In 23 matches played, she registered 124 digs and 23 total blocks. Baran was named NECC Rookie of the Week three times, NECC Player of the Week once, and AVCA Division III National Player of the Week once this season.

Aguilar posted a conference-high 526 assists this fall to go with 121 digs, 42 kills, and 38 blocks. In league action, the senior notched 72 assists while adding 26 digs and 11 kills.

Graves ranked third in the conference with 268 kills while leading the league with 85 total blocks. A four-time NECC Rookie of the Week, she chipped in with 33 kills and seven blocks in league competition.

Bolner was one of five players to appear in all 25 matches during the fall and recorded 40 kills with 30 blocks.

In his fifth season at the helm, Schmitt guided the Lions to a 15-10 overall record with a 2-1 mark in conference action this fall. Eastern Nazarene claimed the No. 2 seed in the NECC Tournament and will host third-seeded Mitchell in the NECC semifinals November 7.