Five Raiders named to WVB All-Conference Teams, Peacock named POY
(Boston, Mass.) The Great Northeast Athletic Conference has announced their 2013 Women's Volleyball All-Conference Teams and major award winners this afternoon.
Rivier University senior Nicole Peacock (Warwick, RI) was tabbed as the GNAC's Player of the Year along with being named to the All-Conference First team. This is the third consecutive year that Peacock was named All-Conference and it is her second First Team selection. Peacock was named the GNAC's Rookie of the Year in 2010 and was a 2nd Team selection in 2011.
Peacock had an outstanding finish to a brilliant career in Raider Blue. She averaged 3.18 kills per set along with leading the team in kills (331) and total blocks (62). Peacock also registered a .324 hitting percentage over her 104 sets played and 21 block solos.
Joining Peacock on the 2013 First Team are sophomore Emily O'Reilly (San Francisco, CA) and freshman Molly McCormack (Ballston Lake, NY). O'Reilly was a member of the Conference's third team last season as a freshman. This season she has totaled an impressive 1,104 assists, which is good for a 9.60 assist per set ratio, to go along with her 62 kills and 91 service aces. O'Reilly is also third on the team with 198 digs as she played in every set during the season (115).
McCormack is just the latest Raider to dazzle in her freshman campaign. She is the first Rivier freshman to be selected to the GNAC All-Conference First Team since Kenna Finlayson '13 was honored in 2009. McCormack laced 224 kills and also recorded 285 digs. She was second on the team in service aces with 54 while appearing in 103 sets.
Rivier also saw seniors Jessica Amaral (East Providence, RI) and Nicole Boucher (Windham, NH) finally earn recognition for their hard work as they were tabbed to the All-Conference Second Team. This is the first time that either of them were named to the All-Conference teams.
Amaral was the defensive specialist the Raiders needed in 2013. The 5-3 libero total a team high of 499 digs – including obtaining her 1,000 career dig earlier this season. She was a vital asset to the team as she played in 114 sets and hammering 44 service aces.
Boucher enjoyed a terrific senior season that saw her register 167 kills and a .298 hitting percentage. She was a steady presence along the net as she played in 99 sets and recorded a calm demeanor in which she was able to register 37 total blocks.
The Raiders, who won their fifth GNAC Championship on Saturday, will travel to Potsdam, New York and take on Richard Stockton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, November 15.