Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Five Blue Raiders earn All-Conference Awards
11/20/2024 12:00:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Spies' Freshman of the Year headlines the group
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The Conference USA league office announced the 2024 All-Conference Awards on Wednesday, November 20, featuring five Blue Raiders. Those are Andi Spies, Adriana Rhoda, Kiera Booth, Laure Jansen, and Emma Nilson.
Andi Spies: Freshman of the Year, Second Team All-Conference, All-Freshman Team
Andi Spies becomes the first Blue Raider to take home CUSA Freshman of the Year honors. Spies thrived in her freshman season starting in all 30 of the Blue Raiders matches and recorded 1,071 assists, good for third in Conference USA and 23rd in the nation. The freshman averaged 9.39 assists/set which was second in CUSA. Another area where Andi Spies excelled was serving the ball as she recorded 44 service aces, good for second in the conference. Spies was one of two CUSA student-athletes to record a triple-double and it was the first in MTSU program history, during the 25-point era. The freshman tallied 38 assists, 11 kills, and 11 digs in a comeback victory against SEMO, with three aces and three blocks. Spies won five CUSA Freshman of the Weeks and one CUSA Setter of the Week this season. The Fort Atkinson, Wis. native was the second freshman in program history to take home CUSA Setter of the Week.
Adriana Rhoda: First Team All-Conference
A reigning CUSA First Team All-Conference member, Adriana Rhoda followed up with another strong season, earning her First Team honors for a second consecutive season. Rhoda recorded 458 kills at a 4.02 kills/set rate, both ranking second in CUSA. The outside hitter's 458 kills ranks 15th in the nation. In the last match of the regular season, Rhoda set a new career-high with 26 kills vs. New Mexico State, the third highest total by a CUSA student-athlete this season. In a match at Sam Houston, Rhoda recorded 22 kills, in just three sets (7.33 kills/set), setting a new MTSU program record in kills/set, during the 25-point era. Rhoda recorded the first double-double of her career in a victory at Kennesaw State posting 19 kills and 13 digs, to go along with two service aces.
Kiera Booth: Second Team All-Conference
In her first season as a Blue Raider, Kiera Booth played a large role as the starting middle blocker, starting in all but one match that she has appeared in for MTSU. Booth's 86.0 blocks ranked ninth across CUSA coming at a 0.83 blocks/set rate. The Berlin, Pa. native was very efficient hitting the ball this season recording a .309 hitting percentage, good for ninth in CUSA. Booth added 272 kills this season coming at a 2.64 kills/set rate. In a sweep victory vs. Alabama A&M, the middle blocker recorded 14 kills on a .632 hitting percentage, with six blocks. Booth recorded a season-high seven blocks in a win vs. LA Tech, where she also added 15 kills on a .500 hitting percentage.
Laure Jansen: Second Team All-Conference
An outside hitter for the first three seasons of her collegiate career, Laure Jansen stepped up and served as the team's libero for much of the season where she thrived, recording 484 digs at a 4.25 digs/set rate. Jansen's 484 digs ranked fourth in CUSA, and her 4.25 digs/set ranked third. The senior set a program record with 39 digs in a four-set match at Sam Houston, the highest total amongst CUSA student-athletes this season, earning her CUSA Defensive Player of the Week honors. The Valburg, Netherlands native found success serving the ball this season recording 42 service aces, good for fourth in CUSA. In a comeback victory vs. SEMO, Jansen recorded 19 kills and 17 digs in addition to three service aces. The Blue Raiders recorded 74 kills in that match, the highest total a CUSA school recorded this season and Jansen's team-high 19 kills played a major part.
Emma Nilson: All-Freshman Team
In her freshman season, middle blocker Emma Nilson recorded 151 kills and 92.0 blocks. Nilson recorded the second most starts on the team with 28. The middle blocker's 92.0 blocks ranked eighth in CUSA and her 0.88 blocks/set ranked 10th, however both those marks finished first among freshmen. In a sweep victory vs. Alabama A&M, Emma Nilson finished the match with a .667 hitting percentage (13 kills), which was the sixth highest a CUSA member finished with this season. In a three-set match vs. Arkansas State, Nilson recorded nine blocks (3.00 blocks/set), setting a program-record for the highest blocks/set in a match by a freshman, during the 25-point era. Nilson's nine blocks was the seventh highest total by a CUSA student-athlete this season.
Andi Spies: Freshman of the Year, Second Team All-Conference, All-Freshman Team
Andi Spies becomes the first Blue Raider to take home CUSA Freshman of the Year honors. Spies thrived in her freshman season starting in all 30 of the Blue Raiders matches and recorded 1,071 assists, good for third in Conference USA and 23rd in the nation. The freshman averaged 9.39 assists/set which was second in CUSA. Another area where Andi Spies excelled was serving the ball as she recorded 44 service aces, good for second in the conference. Spies was one of two CUSA student-athletes to record a triple-double and it was the first in MTSU program history, during the 25-point era. The freshman tallied 38 assists, 11 kills, and 11 digs in a comeback victory against SEMO, with three aces and three blocks. Spies won five CUSA Freshman of the Weeks and one CUSA Setter of the Week this season. The Fort Atkinson, Wis. native was the second freshman in program history to take home CUSA Setter of the Week.
Adriana Rhoda: First Team All-Conference
A reigning CUSA First Team All-Conference member, Adriana Rhoda followed up with another strong season, earning her First Team honors for a second consecutive season. Rhoda recorded 458 kills at a 4.02 kills/set rate, both ranking second in CUSA. The outside hitter's 458 kills ranks 15th in the nation. In the last match of the regular season, Rhoda set a new career-high with 26 kills vs. New Mexico State, the third highest total by a CUSA student-athlete this season. In a match at Sam Houston, Rhoda recorded 22 kills, in just three sets (7.33 kills/set), setting a new MTSU program record in kills/set, during the 25-point era. Rhoda recorded the first double-double of her career in a victory at Kennesaw State posting 19 kills and 13 digs, to go along with two service aces.
Kiera Booth: Second Team All-Conference
In her first season as a Blue Raider, Kiera Booth played a large role as the starting middle blocker, starting in all but one match that she has appeared in for MTSU. Booth's 86.0 blocks ranked ninth across CUSA coming at a 0.83 blocks/set rate. The Berlin, Pa. native was very efficient hitting the ball this season recording a .309 hitting percentage, good for ninth in CUSA. Booth added 272 kills this season coming at a 2.64 kills/set rate. In a sweep victory vs. Alabama A&M, the middle blocker recorded 14 kills on a .632 hitting percentage, with six blocks. Booth recorded a season-high seven blocks in a win vs. LA Tech, where she also added 15 kills on a .500 hitting percentage.
Laure Jansen: Second Team All-Conference
An outside hitter for the first three seasons of her collegiate career, Laure Jansen stepped up and served as the team's libero for much of the season where she thrived, recording 484 digs at a 4.25 digs/set rate. Jansen's 484 digs ranked fourth in CUSA, and her 4.25 digs/set ranked third. The senior set a program record with 39 digs in a four-set match at Sam Houston, the highest total amongst CUSA student-athletes this season, earning her CUSA Defensive Player of the Week honors. The Valburg, Netherlands native found success serving the ball this season recording 42 service aces, good for fourth in CUSA. In a comeback victory vs. SEMO, Jansen recorded 19 kills and 17 digs in addition to three service aces. The Blue Raiders recorded 74 kills in that match, the highest total a CUSA school recorded this season and Jansen's team-high 19 kills played a major part.
Emma Nilson: All-Freshman Team
In her freshman season, middle blocker Emma Nilson recorded 151 kills and 92.0 blocks. Nilson recorded the second most starts on the team with 28. The middle blocker's 92.0 blocks ranked eighth in CUSA and her 0.88 blocks/set ranked 10th, however both those marks finished first among freshmen. In a sweep victory vs. Alabama A&M, Emma Nilson finished the match with a .667 hitting percentage (13 kills), which was the sixth highest a CUSA member finished with this season. In a three-set match vs. Arkansas State, Nilson recorded nine blocks (3.00 blocks/set), setting a program-record for the highest blocks/set in a match by a freshman, during the 25-point era. Nilson's nine blocks was the seventh highest total by a CUSA student-athlete this season.
Players Mentioned
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