4 War Hawks Earn NCCAA Post-Season Awards
By: Dave Beyer, McMurry Sports Information
Updated: December 3, 2012
GREENVILLE, S.C. - It was a banner year for the McMurry University volleyball program. The team compiled a 25-10 record, earned a NCCAA Central Regional championship, and went on to take the NCCAA National Title as the #10-seed. With a great post season run like the one the War Hawks had, comes numerous post-season awards, which have also been bestowed on McM. Athletes M.J. Vickers, Peyton Evans and Kasi Conners, as well as head coach Cammie Petree, have all earned post-season accolades.
Along with earning NCCAA All-Tournament team distinction, Evans was named an NCCAA First-Team All-American in just her first season as a War Hawk. The junior setter made the most of her first year at McMurry, totaling 1,120 assists and 156 kills. Evans also played great defensively as she totaled 97 total blocks on the year, including 18 solo stops. She also finished third on the team in total digs with 278.
Vickers made the most of her senior campaign as she earned four-different distinctions over the course of the season. The senior captain earned Second-team All-American status, a NCCAA Scholar-Athlete award, NCCAA all-tournament, and the Susan R. Hellings award.
The Susan R. Hellings award was given to a junior or senior student-athlete who excelled on her team, in the classroom, and proved herself to be a leader both on and off the court.
Vickers finished her senior year as the school's all-time kills leader, and became just the second player ever to reach 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. She totaled 441 kills on the year as well as 290 digs. She also maintains a 3.58 GPA on her way to her NCCAA Scholar-Athlete award.
Conners was also given a nod as an NCCAA Scholar-Athlete. The junior middle blocker holds a 3.58 GPA while anchoring the McMurry defense. Conners finished the season second on the team in kills with 244. She also ranked second in the NCCAA central region in blocks per set (1.18) while totaling 30 solo, and 99 assisted blocks.
Players were not the only ones who received post-season accolades, as Coach Petree was named the NCCAA National Coach of the Year. Petree lead the War Hawks to a 25-10 record, which was the team's second-straight 25+-win season.
Defense was the name of the game for Coach Petree's War Hawks, who totaled just over 90 blocks in the span of nine games in the NCCAA tournament. The defense also held every opponent that they faced under a .200 hitting percentage. Down the stretch, Coach Petree lead her team to a 8-1 record over their final ten games of the season.
Along with earning NCCAA All-Tournament team distinction, Evans was named an NCCAA First-Team All-American in just her first season as a War Hawk. The junior setter made the most of her first year at McMurry, totaling 1,120 assists and 156 kills. Evans also played great defensively as she totaled 97 total blocks on the year, including 18 solo stops. She also finished third on the team in total digs with 278.
Vickers made the most of her senior campaign as she earned four-different distinctions over the course of the season. The senior captain earned Second-team All-American status, a NCCAA Scholar-Athlete award, NCCAA all-tournament, and the Susan R. Hellings award.
The Susan R. Hellings award was given to a junior or senior student-athlete who excelled on her team, in the classroom, and proved herself to be a leader both on and off the court.
Vickers finished her senior year as the school's all-time kills leader, and became just the second player ever to reach 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. She totaled 441 kills on the year as well as 290 digs. She also maintains a 3.58 GPA on her way to her NCCAA Scholar-Athlete award.
Conners was also given a nod as an NCCAA Scholar-Athlete. The junior middle blocker holds a 3.58 GPA while anchoring the McMurry defense. Conners finished the season second on the team in kills with 244. She also ranked second in the NCCAA central region in blocks per set (1.18) while totaling 30 solo, and 99 assisted blocks.
Players were not the only ones who received post-season accolades, as Coach Petree was named the NCCAA National Coach of the Year. Petree lead the War Hawks to a 25-10 record, which was the team's second-straight 25+-win season.
Defense was the name of the game for Coach Petree's War Hawks, who totaled just over 90 blocks in the span of nine games in the NCCAA tournament. The defense also held every opponent that they faced under a .200 hitting percentage. Down the stretch, Coach Petree lead her team to a 8-1 record over their final ten games of the season.
