Women's Volleyball | 11/15/2014 7:19:00 AM

NORFOLK, VA --- With the 2014 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Volleyball Championship on the horizon, the Howard women's volleyball program has earned five awards for the team's success this season.

For the first time as the leader of the Lady Bison program, third year head coach Shaun Kupferberg has been named the MEAC Coach of the Year. Additionally, four Lady Bison were selected to the conference's three All-MEAC teams: Senior middle blocker Assata Conway (First Team); senior setter Stephanie Shultis & freshman outside hitter Khaila Donaldson (Second Team); and senior libero Allyson Lods (Third Team).

Under the helm of Kupferberg, the Lady Bison posted an 18-10 overall record and 11-1 mark in conference play, earning a share of the Northern Division title in 2014 and defeating reigning league champion Hampton for the first time in six years.

Howard ranked first in the MEAC in blocks (2.10), second in opponent hitting percentage (.172), kills (12.71), assists (11.92) and digs (13.88), and third in hitting percentage (.214). In his third year, Kupferberg has guided the Lady Bison to their second consecutive trip to the MEAC Volleyball Championship and posted a record of 39-21 (19-5 MEAC) over the past two years.

Conway earned her second consecutive First Team All-MEAC honor, the first player in Kupferberg's tenure to achieve the feat. The Missouri City, TX native led the MEAC in blocks (1.14) and was third in hitting percentage (.330), both tops on the team. Conway was named MEAC Co-Player of the Week on September 15.

A First Team selection in 2013, Shultis finished third in the league in assists (10.04) and set Howard's school record for assists in a career. The Springfield, VA natie was also ninth in the MEAC in service aces (0.30).

Donaldson had an exceptional freshman campaign, finishing third in total points (4.23) and fourth in the conference in kills (3.57). Both of the Vernon Hills, IL native's marks were second among newcomers, behind only Rookie of the Year Pamela Soriano of FAMU. Donaldson was also named MEAC Rookie of the Week three times.

Lods led the Lady Bison in digs for the second straight season and was sixth in the conference in the category (3.17). The Lancaster, CA native and junior college transfer was a second team selection in 2013.

Howard will be the North No. 2 seed for the 30th Anniversary of the MEAC Volleyball Tournament, which will be held from November 21-23 at the Coppin State Physical Education Complex in Baltimore, MD. For ticket information, please visit www.meacsports.com.

2014 MEAC Volleyball All-Conference Team
(As voted on by the Volleyball Head Coaches and Sports Information Directors)
 
Player of the Year: Vendula Strakova, Hampton
Rookie of the Year: Pamela Soriano, Florida A&M
Coach of the Year: SHAUN KUPFERBERG, HOWARD
 
 
FIRST TEAM

Name	Pos.	Cl.	School	Hometown
Cindy Okpegbue	OH	Jr.	Coppin State	Austin, Texas
Ginna Lopez-Chavez	MB	So.	Florida A&M	Lima, Peru
Pamela Soriano	OH	Fr.	Florida A&M	Santo Domingo, DR
Joanie Del Castillo	L	Sr.	Florida A&M	Lima, Peru
Kitija Megne	S	Sr.	Hampton	Kuldiga, Latvia
Vendula Strakova	RS	Sr.	Hampton	Brno, Czech Republic
ASSATA CONWAY	MB	SR.	HOWARD	MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS

 
SECOND TEAM

Name	Pos.	Cl.	School	Hometown
Gabrielle Otero	L	Sr.	Coppin State	San Antonio, Texas
Ariel Richard	OH	Sr.	Coppin State	Torrence, Calif.
Kandace Thomas	MB	Jr.	Coppin State	Carson, Calif.
Krista Kraskura	OH	Sr.	Hampton	Kuldiga, Latvia
KHAILA DONALDSON	OH	FR.	HOWARD	VERNON HILLS, ILL.
STEPHANIE SHULTIS	S	SR.	HOWARD	SPRINGFIELD, VA.
Zuri Smith	MH	Sr.	Morgan State	Inglewood, Calif.

 
THIRD TEAM

Name	Pos.	Cl.	School	Hometown
Delicia Pierre	OH	Jr.	Bethune-Cookman	Tunapuna, Trinidad & Tobago
Hazel Ortiz-Rosado	S	Jr.	Bethune-Cookman	Ovideo, Fla.
Chelsee Sauni	S	Jr.	Coppin State	Long Beach, Calif.
Sonja Maksimovic	OH	Sr.	Hampton	Belgrade, Serbia
ALLYSON LODS	L	SR.	HOWARD	LANCASTER, CALIF.
Arianna Hayden	RS	Jr.	Morgan State	Chicago, Ill.
Kelsey Murphy	OH	So.	North Carolina Central	Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.