GNAC WVB Award Recipients Announced

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference has released their Award recipients for the 2011 season and four Raiders have been named.

Junior Kenna Finlayson (Derry, NH) was named to the 2011 All Conference First team for her outstanding performance during the season. Finlayson led the Raiders with 594 kills in the '11 campaign. She hit at a .248 clip while recording 299 digs and 92 service aces. On September 15th against Colby-Sawyer College, Finlayson recorded her 1,000th career kill in front of the home fans. She was also awarded the GNAC Offensive Player of the Year. This is the third straight year that Finlayson has been named to the All-Conference 1st Team.

Sophomore Nicole Peacock (Warwick, RI) was named to the All-Conference 2nd Team. The GNAC Rookie of the Year in 2010, had a brilliant sophomore season as she helped the offensive attack. Peacock was solid at the net as she belted a .275 hitting percentage to go along with 103 total blocks. She was second on the team in kills, behind Finlayson, with 310. This is Peacock's first time being named an All-Conference Student-Athlete.

Senior Emileigh Cenedella (Townsend, MA) found herself on the All-Conference 3rd Team in 2011. Cenedella was the key utility player for the Raiders in 2011. The 2010 GNAC Defensive Player of the Year was all over the floor for Rivier as she recorded 80 kills as an outside hitter while collecting a team high 456 digs during the season. This is the second time that Cenedella has been named the All-Conference team; she was a 1st Team selection in 2010.

Senior Lauren Saccoccio (Warwick, RI) was named to the 2011 GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team for the third consecutive year. Saccoccio was the team leader this season for the Raiders. Her calm and collective play allowed the team to finish the 2011 regular season with an impressive 12-1 run. Saccoccio recorded 811 assists – a team high, for Rivier in 2011.

Entering the 2011 GNAC Women's Volleyball Tournament as the #2 seed, the Raiders were able to capture their fourth title with three impressive victories over #7 Lasell College (3-0), #3 Emmanuel College (3-0) and #1 Emerson College (3-2).

For her performance, Finlayson was named the Tournament MVP after recording 55 kills in three games. She was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Peacock and sophomore Nicole Boucher (Windham, NH). Peacock had 31 kills and a team high 7 blocks while Boucher added 32 kills and 5 blocks.