Quartet from Empire 8 Earn AVCA Honorable Mention All-America Recognition

11/27/2018 10:02:15 AM

Four student-athletes from the Empire 8 Conference were recently named Honorable Mention All-Americans by the American Volleyball Coaches' Association (AVCA). Nazareth's Kelsey Milligan, St. John Fisher's Alea Steigerwald, and Stevens' Elizabeth Chu and Sara Hain were recognized for their outstanding seasons.

Milligan led the Golden Flyers to the 2018 E8 Conference Championship this season and a trip to the NCAA Tournament with her team-leading 297 kills and 101 blocks. Her attack percentage of .314 was second on the team, and she also recorded 26 aces and 60 digs. Milligan is the first All-American at Nazareth since Maria Allocco and Madi Wickens earned the honor in 2014.

Steigerwald, who was also named the E8 Player and Rookie of the Year, did not waste any time making her presence known in a Fisher uniform. In her freshman campaign, she started every match and led the Cardinals with 492 kills, 4.70 points per set, 4.17 kills per set and a .240 hitting percentage.

Both Chu and Hain were named First Team All E8 selections by the league's coaches, as they helped lead Stevens to the regular season title. Chu was honored as the conference's Libero / Defensive Player of the Year as she recoreded 657 digs and 46 aces during the year. Hain posted 261 kills and hit a team-best .315 this fall.

- Additional reporting for this release provided by the athletic communication staffs at Nazareth and St. John Fisher -

About the Empire 8 Conference
The members of the Empire 8 are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and aspire to be regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership seeks to distinguish itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the Empire 8.