@CanesVB Earns Six 2014 ACC Awards
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The University of Miami volleyball team earned six ACC Awards, including Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year.
Senior outside hitter Savanah Leaf was named the 2014 ACC Player of the Year, while freshman setter Haley Templeton was selected as the 2014 ACC Freshman of the Year. Leaf earned First Team All-ACC honors, while Templeton was picked Second Team All-ACC and earned a spot on the All-ACC Freshman Team. Senior middle blocker Emani Sims rounded out Miami’s 2014 ACC honorees, earning First Team All-ACC.
“I am extremely happy for Savanah, Emani and Haley, individually, and for our program,” Miami head coach Jose “Keno” Gandara said. “I thought the ACC was very competitive this year and all the teams should be congratulated on a great season for the conference. It is wonderful to see three Canes recognized for their performances by being named to the All-ACC team.”
Leaf was an absolute force all season en route to becoming the second ACC Player of the Year in UM History, joining Lane Carico (2011). The San Anselmo Calif., native was a three-time ACC Player of the Week selection and finished the regular season leading the ACC and ranking 15th in the country with 4.56 kills/set. A talented outside hitter, she is the team leader in kills (451), kills/set (4.56) and points (5.24), while ranking second in attack percentage (.302), service aces (25) and digs (250), and third in blocks (77).
“Savanah does so many things for this team,” Gandara said. “And that is what Players of the Year do. I am happy for her, I know this is something she wanted and it is great to see her accomplish her goal.”
A Preseason All-ACC pick, Leaf joined an elite club at the University of Miami, surpassing 1,000 kills for her career. Leaf, who ranks fifth in program history with 1,143 kills, also set three single-match records in a hard-fought battle against No. 5 Florida State on Oct. 5. She tied a program record with 30 kills in a match (tied Karla Johnson at Houston, 9/3/2005) and set UM records for most kills in an ACC match and most kills at the Knight Sports Complex.
“I’m really excited and happy about this,” Leaf said. “It is something have been really wanting throughout my time here and my time playing volleyball. I am super happy to have accomplished this.”
Templeton had a fantastic freshman campaign, earning ACC Freshman of the Week honors five times during the 2014 season. The Alpharetta, Ga., native eclipsed the 1,000-assist mark during Miami’s 3-1 victory over Georgia Tech a week ago, recording the 10th 1,000-assist season since the program returned in 2001. She becomes the second Cane to win ACC Freshman of the Year, joining Carico (2008).
“It has been great to see Haley mature and develop as the season went on,” Gandara said. “She came in with a good skill level, but now she has a much better command of the offense and how to run an team. She is a great teammate and is becoming a better leader. She is very deserving of the award and I look forward to watching her continue to develop.”
The gifted setter finished the regular season ranked second in the ACC with 11.02 assists/set. She finished the year with 1,047 assists and led the Hurricanes with 27 service aces. She was also a threat to attack, notching 59 kills on the season. The freshman has recorded at least 20 assists in 28 of Miami’s 29 matches this season, including a career-high 53 assists four times (9/13 vs. Ball State, 9/20 vs. Missouri, 10/5 vs. Florida State and 10/10 at Syracuse).
“I’m ecstatic about this, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Templeton said. “They’ve helped me the entire year and I couldn’t have done this without them being there to help me along the way.”
Sims was a leader on and off the court for Miami. The senior captain led Miami with a .394 attack percentage that ranked third in the ACC and 23rd in the country. Her 130 blocks are a team-best, while she finished second on the team in points (3.08) and fourth in kills (218) and service aces (16).
“Emani epitomizes ‘continued improvement’,” Gandara said. “She has found a way to continue to grow and improve year after year. Her understanding of the game and ability to see the game has allowed her to take full advantage of her athleticism. It is so rewarding to see someone work as hard as she does and get recognized amongst her peers.”
A Preseason-All ACC honoree, Sims earned her third consecutive First Team All-ACC selection. She was named All-Tournament at both the HotelRED Invitational and the TCU NIKE Invitational. This season, Sims had outstanding match-highs of .733 attack percentage (Nov. 26 at Georgia Tech), 16 kills, (Sept. 13 vs. Ball State), and 12 blocks (Nov. 23 at Boston College). The Glenview, Ill., native is one of the most decorated players in UM history, earning Third Team AVCA All-America honors in 2012.
“It’s a really nice recognition, but a lot of it is because of my team,” Sims said. “I wouldn’t be in this position without the passers and servers and setters doing great things all season. It feels awesome to be able to get this towards the end of my college career and I am so happy for my teammates, as well.”
The Hurricanes (21-8, 14-4 ACC) earned one of the 64 spots in the 2014 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball field. Miami, who finished tied for third in the ACC, will face UCF at 4:30 p.m. on December 5 in their first round match of the 2014 NCAA Tournament. The winner of that match advances to face the winner of No. 8 Florida and Alabama State.
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