Women's Volleyball | 4/27/2021 9:58:50 AM
St. John Fisher junior outside hitter Alea Steigerwald earned her third consecutive Player of the Year honor, as the Empire 8 Conference announced its 2021 Spring Women’s Volleyball All-Conference awards on Tuesday, April 27. The awards are voted on by the league's head coaches.
Steigerwald led the Cardinals to their second straight Empire 8 title in 2021 and enjoyed another excellent season, with 96 kills and 95 digs in 28 sets played. She tallied at least 10 kills in six matches and recorded four double-doubles. Steigerwald becomes the first women’s volleyball student-athlete to earn her third Empire 8 Player of the Year honor.
Sophomore Darian Ortiz of Alfred University was named the Libero/Defensive Specialist of the Year, while first-year standout Gracie Jacob of St. John Fisher was named the Rookie of the Year. Ortiz led all Empire 8 players with 210 digs, including 4.46 digs per set in 2019. She had at least 24 digs in five of 10 matches this season, including back-to-back 27-dig efforts late in the season. Jacob, an outside hitter, slammed 68 kills and hit .216 with 38 digs in 28 sets played this season.
St. John Fisher enjoyed a tremendous 2021 spring season, finishing 9-0 overall, while winning its second consecutive regular season title. The Cardinals defeated Alfred in the E8 semifinals and Nazareth in the championship match to extend their winning streak versus league foes to 18 consecutive contests. St. John Fisher head coach Kelly Greapentrog and her staff were honored as the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year for the second straight season.
Elmira’s Savannah Terry, along with Nazareth standouts Kaylee Kelly and McKenzie Hart and Houghton stars Jenna Bittinger and Haley Unverdorben were named All-Empire 8 first team selections along with Steigerwald.
One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2021 Spring Women's Volleyball Sportswoman of the Year Team. The Empire 8 Conference emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete's experience in conjunction with an institution's educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportswomen.
2021 Empire 8 Spring Women’s Volleyball All-Conference Selections
Player of the Year: Alea Steigerwald, Jr., OH, St. John Fisher
Libero/Defensive Specialist of the Year: Darian Ortiz, So., Alfred
Rookie of the Year: Gracie Jacob, Fr., OH, St. John Fisher
Coaching of the Year: St. John Fisher, led by Kelly Greapentrog
Empire 8 First Team
Savannah Terry, Sr., MB, Elmira
Jenna Bittinger, Jr., OH, Houghton
Haley Unverdorben, Jr., S, Houghton
Kaylee Kelly, So., OH/DS, Nazareth
McKenzie Hart., Jr., OH/DS, Nazareth
Alea Steigerwald, Jr., OH, St. John Fisher
Empire 8 Second Team
Darian Ortiz, So., L/DS, Alfred
Lydia Milligan, Sr., OH, Elmira
Julia Cavanaugh, Sr., MB, Nazareth
Lindsey DeBonis, So., OH, St. John Fisher
Rebecca Hay, Sr., S, St. John Fisher
Gracie Jacob, Fr., OH, St. John Fisher
Empire 8 Third Team
Sarah Raeman, Sr., OPP/OH, Alfred
Amanda Burns, Jr., S, Alfred
Amelia Martin, So., OH, Elmira
Maddie Hampton, Fr., L/DS, Elmira
Kassi Hastings, Sr., S, Elmira
Eleanor Cepiel, So., OH/RS, Utica
Empire 8 Sportswoman of the Year
Maija Grinbergs, Sr., OH/RS, Alfred
Chloe Scheff, So., MB/RS, Elmira
Jenna Bittinger, Jr., OH, Houghton
Eva Lyko, So., OH/DS, Nazareth
Kayla Weaver, Jr., S/DS, Russell Sage
Molly Taylor, Sr., S, St. John Fisher
Briana Toledo, Sr., L/DS, Utica