Owls Honored at Team Banquet
2/7/2022 11:02:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Graham named MVP
The Rice volleyball program celebrated a historic 2021 Fall season on Friday, Feb. 4 with their annual awards banquet held at the R Room.
Without further ado, the winners from Saturday night below!
Award Winners
MVP - Carly Graham
Most Improved - Ellie Bichelmeyer
Mendivil Award (Player who embodies integrity, accountability, and puts team first; voted by players) - Carly Graham
Sammy Spirit - Jaime Samojedny
Offensive Player of the Year - Nicole Lennon
Defensive Player of the Year - Elizabeth LaBue
Newcomer of the Year - Shaylee Shore
Most Studious (Highest GPA during fall season) - Lola Foord
Hard Hat Award - Carly Graham
Here's a look back at some of the highlights from the historic 2021 Fall season for the Owls:
*Finished the season ranked No. 23 in the RPI.
*Carly Graham earned AVCA All-American Honorable Mention honors and was named a VolleyballMag.com Second Team All-American. Nicole Lennon earned VolleyballMag.com Third Team All-American accolades.
*Carly Graham, Nicole Lennon, and Anota Adekunle were all named to the AVCA Southwest Team.
*Advanced to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history, both of which have come in the past three seasons.
*Earned their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, the third straight via an at-large bid and the fifth time in program history.
*Joined Texas and Baylor as the only programs from the state of Texas to appear in the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four seasons.
*One of just 21 programs across NCAA Division I to qualify for each of the last four NCAA Tournaments.
*Won 20 games for the 10th time under Coach Volpe and the seventh time in the last eight seasons (the one exception coming in the shortened COVID spring season).
*Advanced to the C-USA title match for a fourth consecutive season and the seventh time in program history.
*Reeled off 14 consecutive wins, the second-longest streak in school history.
*Won the C-USA West Division crown for a second straight season, once again going undefeated at 12-0.
*Ranked or receiving votes in all 15 weeks of the AVCA Coaches' Poll.
*Five players received C-USA Postseason honors, including Carly Graham winning her second-straight C-USA Setter of the Year. Graham, Nicole Lennon, and Anota Adekunle all earned spots on the C-USA First Team while Ellie Bichelmeyer received Second Team honors. Shaylee Shore was named to the C-USA All-Freshman Team.
*Nicole Lennon became Rice's all-time leader in career kills.
NCAA Team Rankings
5th – Kills Per Set (14.38)
8th – Assists Per Set (13.19)
9th – Hitting Percentage (.287)
NCAA Individual Rankings
14th – Assists Per Set – Carly Graham, 11.10
16th – Hitting Percentage – Anota Adekunle, .406
19th – Kills Per Set – Nicole Lennon, 4.44
Without further ado, the winners from Saturday night below!
Award Winners
MVP - Carly Graham
Most Improved - Ellie Bichelmeyer
Mendivil Award (Player who embodies integrity, accountability, and puts team first; voted by players) - Carly Graham
Sammy Spirit - Jaime Samojedny
Offensive Player of the Year - Nicole Lennon
Defensive Player of the Year - Elizabeth LaBue
Newcomer of the Year - Shaylee Shore
Most Studious (Highest GPA during fall season) - Lola Foord
Hard Hat Award - Carly Graham
Here's a look back at some of the highlights from the historic 2021 Fall season for the Owls:
*Finished the season ranked No. 23 in the RPI.
*Carly Graham earned AVCA All-American Honorable Mention honors and was named a VolleyballMag.com Second Team All-American. Nicole Lennon earned VolleyballMag.com Third Team All-American accolades.
*Carly Graham, Nicole Lennon, and Anota Adekunle were all named to the AVCA Southwest Team.
*Advanced to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history, both of which have come in the past three seasons.
*Earned their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, the third straight via an at-large bid and the fifth time in program history.
*Joined Texas and Baylor as the only programs from the state of Texas to appear in the NCAA Tournament in each of the last four seasons.
*One of just 21 programs across NCAA Division I to qualify for each of the last four NCAA Tournaments.
*Won 20 games for the 10th time under Coach Volpe and the seventh time in the last eight seasons (the one exception coming in the shortened COVID spring season).
*Advanced to the C-USA title match for a fourth consecutive season and the seventh time in program history.
*Reeled off 14 consecutive wins, the second-longest streak in school history.
*Won the C-USA West Division crown for a second straight season, once again going undefeated at 12-0.
*Ranked or receiving votes in all 15 weeks of the AVCA Coaches' Poll.
*Five players received C-USA Postseason honors, including Carly Graham winning her second-straight C-USA Setter of the Year. Graham, Nicole Lennon, and Anota Adekunle all earned spots on the C-USA First Team while Ellie Bichelmeyer received Second Team honors. Shaylee Shore was named to the C-USA All-Freshman Team.
*Nicole Lennon became Rice's all-time leader in career kills.
NCAA Team Rankings
5th – Kills Per Set (14.38)
8th – Assists Per Set (13.19)
9th – Hitting Percentage (.287)
NCAA Individual Rankings
14th – Assists Per Set – Carly Graham, 11.10
16th – Hitting Percentage – Anota Adekunle, .406
19th – Kills Per Set – Nicole Lennon, 4.44
-RiceOwls.com-
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
OH/RS
/ Women's Volleyball
S
/ Women's Volleyball
DS/L
/ Women's Volleyball
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
L/DS
/ Women's Volleyball
MB/RS
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