Four Canes Earn All-ACC Volleyball Honors
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The University of Miami volleyball team had four players named to the 2015 All-ACC Volleyball Team, the conference announced Wednesday.
Seniors Alexis Mourning and Taylor Scott were joined by sophomores Olga Strantzali and Haley Templeton on the 2015 All-ACC Second Team. The quartet earned four of the 14 spots on the 2015 All-ACC Second Team. Twenty-eight players were named All-ACC, with 14 earning first team honors and 14 being selected to the second team.
“We are excited to see four of our players recognized among the best in the conference,” Miami head coach Jose “Keno” Gandara said. “Alexis and Taylor have been senior leaders for us this season and it is great to have them earn recognition for their play. And Olga and Haley are two players we will count on this season, as well as in the future, so it’s encouraging to see them succeed early in their careers. We are excited to see them continue to develop going forward.”
Strantzali earned her first All-ACC selection and has garnered quite a bit of attention for her play this season. The outside hitter from Greece was named ACC Player of the Week in early November, becoming one of two Hurricanes to win an ACC weekly award this season. Strantzali leads the ACC with 49 service aces and ranks 13th in the NCAA with 0.47 service aces per set. She possesses a powerful left arm that also serves her well on the attack as Strantzali leads the Canes with 331 kills on the season. A Preseason All-ACC selection, Strantzali is currently eighth in the ACC averaging 3.91 points per set.
Mourning is one of the most decorated players in Hurricanes volleyball history. The senior middle blocker ranks eighth in the ACC with a team-high .344 hitting percentage. Mourning also leads Miami with 118 blocks on the season, proving that the senior captain is active at the net in all phases of the game. A two-time All-Tournament selection in 2015, the Second Team All-ACC selection is Mourning’s third career All-ACC honor and might be her most impressive as she earned it after missing the 2014 season due to injury. An All-ACC performer in 2012 and 2013, Mourning was also a 2013 Preseason All-ACC selection and earn AVCA All-Region and AVCA All-American honorable Mention in 2012.
Scott was the first Hurricane to garner ACC Player of the Week honors, earning the distinction following stellar play at the LSU Tournament in September that included a Miami victory over a 22nd-ranked Purdue squad. The senior was named MVP of the LSU Tournament and earned All-Tournament Team honors, but Scott has been a key player for the Canes all season, tallying 316 kills and ranking 10th in the ACC with 3.29 kills/set. The senior has also been dangerous with her serve, recording 21 aces on the year. The Second-Team All-ACC selection is the first of her career.
Templeton is no stranger to All-ACC honors. The sophomore earned her second consecutive All-ACC Second Team selection, to go along with her 2014 ACC Freshman of the Year Award and her 2014 All-ACC Freshman Team selections. Templeton keeps Miami’s offense moving, distributing assists to an array of talented attackers. She has had a strong sophomore campaign, dishing out 1,136 assists and averaging 10.52 assists per set to rank fourth in the ACC. Templeton is also a threat with her serve, recording 28 aces on the year. A 2015 Preseason All-ACC selection, Templeton was named the 2014 AVCA East Coast Region Freshman of the Year and earned ACC Freshman of the Week honors five times in her inaugural collegiate campaign a year ago.
Miami’s four All-ACCA selections will lead the Canes on their final road trip of the 2015 regular season. The Hurricanes will face Clemson tonight at 7 p.m. and play at Georgia Tech in the regular season finale at 1 p.m. on Friday. Miami played its first home matches of ACC play this season against the Tigers and Yellow Jackets, sweeping Clemson on Oct. 4 and beating Georgia Tech in four sets on Oct. 2.
Miami hits the road looking to finish the regular season strong. One of five ACC teams ranked in the Top 50 in the most recent RPI, the Hurricanes head into the final two matches of ACC play ranked 38th in the NCAA Women’s Volleyball RPI Rankings.
Following this weekend’s action, the Hurricanes will tune into the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship Selection Show on Sunday, Nov. 29 as the 2015 NCAA Tournament field will be announced at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.
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