Five Owls Earn All-Conference Honors
11/17/2022 10:19:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
HOUSTON — After a regular season that saw them finish 23-3 and ranked 22nd in the AVCA poll, five Rice Volleyball players were awarded All-Conference honors, including two of its major awards, the league office announced Thursday afternoon.
Fifth-year setter Carly Graham was named the Setter of the Year for the third consecutive year, becoming just the second player in Conference USA history to earn the accolated three straight years. Junior Nia McCardell became the second Rice player to be voted the league's Libero of the Year, joining Tracy Lam, who earned it three straight years.
Graham, McCardell and fifth-year middle blocker Anota Adekunle were named First Team All-Conference USA, and outside hitters Ellie Bichelmeyer and Danyle Courtley were named to the Second Team.
Graham earns First Team honors for the third straight year. A five-time C-USA Setter of the Week, she is second in the league in assists (1,003) and assists per game (10.23). In conference play, she led the league in assists (541) and was second in assists per game (10.40). She also led the Owls with nine double-doubles while averaging 2.15 digs per set and hitting .293. Graham recorded 20 matches with 30+ assists and six with 50+ assists, including a season-high 57 in a victory over No. 17 Creighton. She also became the fourth player in school history and the 24th player in C-USA history with 4,000 career assists.
A four-time Defensive Player of the Week, McCardell earns her first career All-Conference honor. She leads C-USA in digs per set (4.84), and is third in digs (474). In C-USA play, she was second in digs per set (4.35) and fourth in total digs (226). McCardell has nine matches with at least 20 digs, including a career-high 36 against Texas Tech, the third-most in a match in school history.
Adekunle is named to the First Team for the fourth straight year and is All-Conference for the fifth straight time, joining Nicole Lennon as the only players in school history to be named to the team five times. She ranks sixth in the NCAA in hitting percentage (.437) and is Rice's all-time leader (.411), a mark that ranks third in among active players. Adekunle also leads the Owls in kills (295), kills per set (3.11), blocks (80) and points (354.0). A three-time C-USA Offensive Player of the Week, she notched double-figure kills 17 times and recorded 21 matches with a .300 hitting percentage. Against No. 18 Oregon, she notched her 1,000th career kill to become the 16th player in program history to accomplish the feat.
For the third straight season, Bichelmeyer was named to the second team. She is averaging a career-high 2.81 kills per set, good for 13th in Conference USA. She's third on the team with a career-best .311 hitting percentage and fourth with 233 kills, and 256.5 points. Bichelmeyer has 13 matches with at least 10 kills, while also recording 57 digs and 40 blocks. She also earned her first career C-USA Offensive Player of the Week Award on Sept. 12.
Courtley earned her first career All-Conference honor, being named to the Second Team. She ranks 14th in Conference USA with 2.73 kills per set. She's second on the team with 257 kills and third with 297.5 points. A native of Katy, Texas, she has 14 matches with at least 10 kills, including a career-high 22 at No. 18 Oregon. Courtley has also recorded 115 digs and 41 blocks.
The second-seeded Owls begin the Conference USA Tournament on Friday, Nov. 18, when they face FIU. First serve is scheduled for 5 p.m. on ESPN+.
Fifth-year setter Carly Graham was named the Setter of the Year for the third consecutive year, becoming just the second player in Conference USA history to earn the accolated three straight years. Junior Nia McCardell became the second Rice player to be voted the league's Libero of the Year, joining Tracy Lam, who earned it three straight years.
Graham, McCardell and fifth-year middle blocker Anota Adekunle were named First Team All-Conference USA, and outside hitters Ellie Bichelmeyer and Danyle Courtley were named to the Second Team.
Graham earns First Team honors for the third straight year. A five-time C-USA Setter of the Week, she is second in the league in assists (1,003) and assists per game (10.23). In conference play, she led the league in assists (541) and was second in assists per game (10.40). She also led the Owls with nine double-doubles while averaging 2.15 digs per set and hitting .293. Graham recorded 20 matches with 30+ assists and six with 50+ assists, including a season-high 57 in a victory over No. 17 Creighton. She also became the fourth player in school history and the 24th player in C-USA history with 4,000 career assists.
A four-time Defensive Player of the Week, McCardell earns her first career All-Conference honor. She leads C-USA in digs per set (4.84), and is third in digs (474). In C-USA play, she was second in digs per set (4.35) and fourth in total digs (226). McCardell has nine matches with at least 20 digs, including a career-high 36 against Texas Tech, the third-most in a match in school history.
Adekunle is named to the First Team for the fourth straight year and is All-Conference for the fifth straight time, joining Nicole Lennon as the only players in school history to be named to the team five times. She ranks sixth in the NCAA in hitting percentage (.437) and is Rice's all-time leader (.411), a mark that ranks third in among active players. Adekunle also leads the Owls in kills (295), kills per set (3.11), blocks (80) and points (354.0). A three-time C-USA Offensive Player of the Week, she notched double-figure kills 17 times and recorded 21 matches with a .300 hitting percentage. Against No. 18 Oregon, she notched her 1,000th career kill to become the 16th player in program history to accomplish the feat.
For the third straight season, Bichelmeyer was named to the second team. She is averaging a career-high 2.81 kills per set, good for 13th in Conference USA. She's third on the team with a career-best .311 hitting percentage and fourth with 233 kills, and 256.5 points. Bichelmeyer has 13 matches with at least 10 kills, while also recording 57 digs and 40 blocks. She also earned her first career C-USA Offensive Player of the Week Award on Sept. 12.
Courtley earned her first career All-Conference honor, being named to the Second Team. She ranks 14th in Conference USA with 2.73 kills per set. She's second on the team with 257 kills and third with 297.5 points. A native of Katy, Texas, she has 14 matches with at least 10 kills, including a career-high 22 at No. 18 Oregon. Courtley has also recorded 115 digs and 41 blocks.
The second-seeded Owls begin the Conference USA Tournament on Friday, Nov. 18, when they face FIU. First serve is scheduled for 5 p.m. on ESPN+.
Players Mentioned
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