Sims Named AVCA Third-Team All-America
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – University of Miami sophomoremiddle blocker Emani Sims has been named to the American Volleyball CoachesAssociation (AVCA) All-America Third Team, the organization announcedWednesday. She becomes the second player in program history to earn All-Americastatus, joining Lane Carico (2010, 2011).
Additionallyearning national recognition, junior right side Alex Johnson, sophomore middle blockerAlexis Mourning and senior setter Nrithya Sundararaman all were honorablemention AVCA Division I All-America.
Simshad one of the best seasons in program history at the net, leading the teamwith 160 total blocks. Her 1.39 blocks per set ranked second in the ACC andthird in program history. The sophomore had at least five rejections in 16matches, and a school-record 16 total blocks in a win at Clemson. This honoraccompanies her All-ACC and AVCA All-Region selections.
Themiddle blocker also paced the Hurricanes with a .328 hitting percentage, with285 kills (2.48/set) on the year. She recorded a career-high 18 kills in acontest against Middle Tennessee and later matched that versus Duke.
TheGlenview, Ill., native earned ACC Player of the Week on two occasions, once fora 16-block, 16-kill performance at Clemson that also garnered her CollegiateVolleyball Update National Player of the Week. The 16 blocks were the most byany ACC player in a match this season. She also won the league weekly honorafter posting 32 kills on a .500 hitting percentage in two home wins.
Atotal of three student-athletes from the ACC were named All-Americans, alsoincluding Ashley Neff (Florida State) and Monique Mead (Georgia Tech). Allthree teams will be honored at the Final Four in Louisville, Ky., this weekend.The Division I AVCA National Player of the Year will be announced Dec. 14 atthe AVCA All-America/Players of the Year Banquet.
Thethree honorable mention selections bring the program to 13 since 2003.
Johnson,who has started every match in her career, displayed consistency throughout theseason finishing amongst the top four on the team in attack percentage (.263),kills (282), assists (86), services aces (44), blocks (85.0) and digs (290).Recording nine double-doubles during the year, she won ACC Player of the Weekafter posting 16 kills and 16 digs in a win over No. 6 Florida State inSeptember and nearly posted a triple-double in the NCAA tournament againstCollege of Charleston (11 kills, 10 blocks, eight digs). This is her firstnational award, as she was named All-ACC and AVCA All-Region as well.
Aforce in the middle of the net, Mourning had a breakout season to add toalready being named All-ACC and AVCA All-Region. The sophomore had 305 killsand 129 blocks, both ranked second on the team. Additionally being fourth inthe ACC in blocks per set (1.22), she had 10 total blocks in a win over NorthCarolina to earn ACC Co-Player of the Week Oct. 8. The middle blocker tallieddouble-digit kills in 16 matches, with a minimum of five total blocks in 16contests.
Sundararaman,the lone senior on the roster, was effective distributing the ball around thecourt for Miami, leading the ACC with 10.72 assists per set to receive All-ACCand AVCA All-Region honors. Totaling 1,201 assists this season, she ends hercareer with 2,358 to finish third in program history. She won ACC Player of theWeek Nov. 19 after putting up 69 assists in her final two matches at home,adding five kills and seven digs against Boston College.
Asa team, the Hurricanes finished the year 25-6 overall and 17-3 in the ACC tofinish in second place. UM earned a spot in the NCAA tournament for the fourth-straightseason.
Theselections were made by the AVCA Division I All-America Committee: SantiagoRestrepo, Oklahoma; Sherry Dunbar, Indiana; Lisa Seifert, SMU; Molly Alvey,Cincinnati; Jennifer Greeny, Washington State; Craig Skinner, Kentucky; JeffNelson, New Mexico; Tonya Johnson, Georgia Tech. The AVCA Awards Chair isDayton head volleyball coach Kelly Sheffield.
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