Three Mariners Earn NECC Volleyball Honors
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Three members of the Mitchell College women's volleyball team earned New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) accolades on Monday.
Freshman Amanda Garcia took home one of conference's top honors and was tabbed NECC Rookie of the Year. Senior Arianna Thomas was named to the NECC All-Conference Second Team for the second year in a row while junior Nicole Terni garnered NECC All-Conference Honorable Mention status.
All awards were determined by a vote of the conference's nine head coaches.
Garcia is the first Mitchell volleyball player to earn one of the conference's top awards. The rookie middle recorded 53 kills in eight conference matches and sported the highest hitting percentage (.152) on the team during NECC play. A three-time NECC Rookie of the Week selection during the regular season, she played in every set during her first year and finished with 148 total kills and a team-best 38 blocks in 22 matches.
Thomas, a two-year letterwinner, split time at both outside hitter and libero this past season. She played in every set and recorded 131 kills while leading the Mariners in both digs (344) and service aces (47). In conference play she ranked third among all players in digs (128), and she was the only player in the NECC with at least 50 kills and 100 digs.
As Mitchell's setter, Terni led the team and ranked third in the NECC in both assists (177) and assists per set (7.08) in conference action. She played in 21 matches and finished the year with totals of 544 assists, 252 digs, 48 kills and 34 service aces.
The trio helped Mitchell (6-16 overall) to a 3-5 record in conference play. The Mariners also qualified for the NECC Championship for the first time since 2009 but lost to Regis College, 3-1, in the quarterfinals.
