Villarreal Named Rookie of the Year; Luginbuhl and Zovko Make All-MAAC First Team
11/20/2024 10:32:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
The Pioneers kick off the MAAC Tournament on Thursday
EDISON, N.J. – In its first season in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), the Sacred Heart University women's volleyball team was well represented in the league's postseason awards, which were announced Wednesday morning.
The Pioneers took fifth in their first season in the league, going 11-7. The team also racked up an impressive 20 MAAC weekly honors.
Miliani Villarreal took home a major award for SHU, being named the league's Rookie of the Year and earning a spot on the All-Rookie Team. Camryn Luginbuhl and Gaby Zovko represented the Pios on the All-MAAC First Team.
Villarreal is an eight-time MAAC Libero of the Week and a two-time Rookie of the Week after commanding the SHU defense in her first collegiate season. The Murrieta, Calif., native is 15th in the country and leads the conference in total digs (532) and is second in the MAAC to Libero of the Year Bella Peroni in digs per set (4.71). Villarreal is the Pioneers' second straight Rookie of the Year as Zovko was the NEC Rookie of the Year in 2023.
Luginbuhl has had one of the best seasons in program history, as she broke the single-season program record in kills this past weekend with 498 and counting. The senior outside hitter from Tolland, Conn., leads the MAAC in kills, kills per set (4.41), points (555.0) and points per set (4.91). She ranks fifth in the country in total kills and eighth in points. Today's honor is Luginbuhl's first First Team nod in her illustrious career. She is also a five-time MAAC Player of the Week this season.
Zovko, who was also named First Team for the first time, has been one of the most versatile players in the country, winning MAAC Setter of the Week five times. The sophomore setter from Bedford, Mass., paces the MAAC in assists (931) and aces (57), while ranking third in assists per set (8.24). Zovko is also one of just 10 Division I players to tally four or more triple-doubles this year. She ranks in the top three on the team in kills (197) and blocks (67.0).
The fifth-seeded Pioneers kick off the MAAC Postseason Tournament with a 4 p.m. match against No. 8 Iona on Thursday, Nov. 21, at Siena's UHY Center in Loudonville, N.Y.
The Pioneers took fifth in their first season in the league, going 11-7. The team also racked up an impressive 20 MAAC weekly honors.
Miliani Villarreal took home a major award for SHU, being named the league's Rookie of the Year and earning a spot on the All-Rookie Team. Camryn Luginbuhl and Gaby Zovko represented the Pios on the All-MAAC First Team.
Villarreal is an eight-time MAAC Libero of the Week and a two-time Rookie of the Week after commanding the SHU defense in her first collegiate season. The Murrieta, Calif., native is 15th in the country and leads the conference in total digs (532) and is second in the MAAC to Libero of the Year Bella Peroni in digs per set (4.71). Villarreal is the Pioneers' second straight Rookie of the Year as Zovko was the NEC Rookie of the Year in 2023.
Luginbuhl has had one of the best seasons in program history, as she broke the single-season program record in kills this past weekend with 498 and counting. The senior outside hitter from Tolland, Conn., leads the MAAC in kills, kills per set (4.41), points (555.0) and points per set (4.91). She ranks fifth in the country in total kills and eighth in points. Today's honor is Luginbuhl's first First Team nod in her illustrious career. She is also a five-time MAAC Player of the Week this season.
Zovko, who was also named First Team for the first time, has been one of the most versatile players in the country, winning MAAC Setter of the Week five times. The sophomore setter from Bedford, Mass., paces the MAAC in assists (931) and aces (57), while ranking third in assists per set (8.24). Zovko is also one of just 10 Division I players to tally four or more triple-doubles this year. She ranks in the top three on the team in kills (197) and blocks (67.0).
The fifth-seeded Pioneers kick off the MAAC Postseason Tournament with a 4 p.m. match against No. 8 Iona on Thursday, Nov. 21, at Siena's UHY Center in Loudonville, N.Y.
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