@CanesVB Earns Three AVCA Regional Honors
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Miami volleyball team had three players selected for AVCA honors in the East Coast Region.
Senior outside hitter Savanah Leaf and senior middle blocker Emani Sims were named to the AVCA East Coast All-Region Team, while freshman setter Haley Templeton was selected as the AVCA East Coast Region Freshman of the Year.
“I am very happy for Savanah, Emani and Haley,” Miami head coach Jose “Keno” Gandara said. “They all had great seasons and worked hard to help us be successful. It is great to see the three of them earn this well-deserved recognition.”
Leaf earns her first AVCA All-Region honors after an outstanding season that resulted in being named ACC Player of the Year and to the All-ACC First Team. The San Anselmo, Calif., native finished the season with 4.65 kills/set, ranking 12th in the country and atop the ACC. A talented outside hitter, she led the team leader in kills (502), kills/set (4.65) and points (5.33), while ranking second in attack percentage (.312), service aces (27) and digs (266), and third in blocks (83).
“Savanah did so many things for this team,” Gandara said. “One of her personal goals this year was to earn ACC Player of the Year and she accomplished that. She proved herself as the top player in our conference and is now proven as one of the best player in our region.”
A Preseason All-ACC pick, Leaf was a three-time ACC Player of the Week during the 2014 season. She also joined an elite club at the University of Miami, surpassing 1,000 kills for her career. Leaf, who ranks fifth in program history with 1,194 kills, also set the program record for kills in a match and kills in an NCAA Tournament match when she recorded 31 kills in a five-set victory over UCF in the first round of this year’s tournament.
“I feel honored,” Leaf said. ” This is my last year and I am just so excited to receive this recognition.”
Sims was a leader on and off the court for Miami en route to her second AVCA All-Region selection. The senior captain led Miami with a .372 attack percentage that ranked third in the ACC and 41st in the country. Her 136 blocks are a team-best, while she finished second on the team in points (2.92) and fourth in kills (226) and service aces (16).
“It’s a honor to be selected, but like any other individual award, I applaud my teammates for all the hard work and dedication the put forth on and off the court,” Sims said. “Without them and my coaches, none of these awards would be possible.”
A Preseason-All ACC honoree, Sims earned her third consecutive First Team All-ACC honor in 2014. 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.
Templeton had a fantastic freshman campaign that has resulted in a slew of honors including ACC Freshman of the Year, and All-ACC Freshman Team selection and a All-ACC Second Team selection. She was named ACC Freshman of the Week 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.
“It is such an honor and privilege to be named Region Freshman of the Year,” Templeton said. “It has been an amazing season and one that I will never forget. I have my team and coaches to thank for that.”
The gifted setter finished the season ranked second in the ACC with 10.99 assists/set. She finished the year with 1,143 assists and led the Hurricanes with 28 service aces. She was also a threat to attack, notching 68 kills on the season. The freshman recorded at least 20 assists in 30 of Miami’s 31 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).
The Hurricanes (22-9, 14-4 ACC) reached the second round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament, falling to No. 8 Florida in a hard-fought four-set battle. Miami reached the second round for the third time in program history. The Canes, who are 4-7 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, earned their first NCAA Tournament victory since 2011 when they beat UCF in five sets on Dec. 5. The win was also the first NCAA Tournament victory in Gandara’s head coaching career.
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