Volleyball Celebrates 2023 Season at Team Banquet
1/16/2024 9:14:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
HOUSTON, Texas — The Rice volleyball program celebrated another season at the team's annual awards banquet at the R Room. The team celebrated the accomplishments of the 2023 season and its five seniors. Rice head volleyball coach Genny Volpe announced the following team awards:
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MVP - Danyle Courtley
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Hard Hat Award - Courtley
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Offensive Player of the Year - Emilia Weske
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Defensive Player of the Year - Nia McCardell
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Newcomer of the Year - Kaitlyn Knobbe
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Most Improved - Darby Harris
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Most Studious - Harris
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WE/Me Award (as voted by team) - Izzy Rawlings
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Sammy Spirit Award - Lademi Ogunlana
2023 Season Highlights
Team
- Rice led the country with 18.56 digs per set, averaging well over half-a-dig more per set than the second-ranked team
- The Owls ranked sixth in the nation with 2,097 total digs
- Ranked first in the AAC in hitting percentage allowed (.159)
- Rice's total of 108 solo blocks ranks second all-time in program history, trailing only the mark set by the 1989 squad of 114 solo blocks.
- The team also ranks eighth all-time at Rice with 2,097 digs on the season.
- The Owls also set the second-best mark in program history for home attendance, averaging 871 fans per contest at Tudor Fieldhouse.
- The Owls finished with at least 18 wins for the ninth consecutive season (excluding the 2021 spring season shortened by COVID in which the team went 16-5)
- Rice again finished at least .500 or better in conference play for the 16th straight season
Individual
- The Owls had a trio of players named to the AAC all-conference team. Graduate senior right side hitter Emilia Weske was a unanimous selection to the first team. Senior outside hitter Danyle Courtley and senior libero Nia McCardell were each named All-AAC second team.
- Weske and Courtley were each also named to the AVCA South All-Region team.
- Senior libero Nia McCardell led the American and was 26th in the country in both total digs (560) and digs per set (4.96)
- McCardell became the fifth Owl ever to reach the 1,500-dig plateau and currently sits in fourth place on the all-time career digs list at Rice with 1,643
- Senior outside hitter Danyle Courtley ranked fourth in the AAC in kills per set (3.66) and sixth in points per set (3.97)
- During conference play, graduate senior right side hitter Emilia Weske ranked third in the conference in points per set (4.67) and kills per set (4.05)
- Sophomore setter Darby Harris ranked seventh in the AAC with 7.40 assists, improving to sixth during conference play with 9.50 assists per set
- Junior Kaitlyn Knobbe finished the year ranked sixth in the AAC with 1.05 blocks per set
- Six Owls recorded double-doubles this season. Sophomore setter Darby Harris led Rice this season with 20 double-doubles, comprising her career total. Harris recorded a double-double in 16 of her last 17 matches. Senior outside hitter Sahara Maruska holds the lead in career double-doubles among current Owls, registering 22 in her career, including 10 this season. Graduate senior right side hitter Emilia Weske registered nine double-doubles this season. Senior setter Izzy Rawlings recorded her first two double-doubles in her career this season (FGCU, Long Island) and senior defensive specialist Nia McCardell also recorded her first career double-double against Charlotte. Senior outside hitter Danyle Courtley notched the second and third career double-doubles of her career this season.
- Five different Owls led the team in kills on at least one occasion in 2023. Senior outside hitter Danyle Courtley led the team with 13 matches as Rice's leading killer. Graduate senior right side hitter Emilia Weske ranked second with 10 times leading the team in kills. Senior outside hitter Sahara Maruska ranked third with four matches leading the team. Junior right side hitter Lola Foord and freshman outside hitter Cindy Tchouangwa each led the Owls in kills one time this season.
- Rice volleyball placed four players on the 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team, as right side hitter Emilia Weske, outside hitter Danyle Courtley, middle blocker Kaitlyn Knobbe and setter Darby Harris each earned the distinction.
- Volleyball posted a perfect graduation success rate (GSR), helping Rice to rank seventh among FBS schools in the nation for GSR among women.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's VolleyballVB: Rice-Texas Postgame Presser
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