Four Panthers Earn AVCA All-America Honors
12/15/2021 11:03:00 AM | Volleyball
Lund, Member-Meneh, Ndee, Gray Earn Coaches’ Association Recognition
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Four Panthers from the University of Pittsburgh volleyball team (30-3, 15-3 ACC) have earned 2021 All-America honors as selected by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), announced Wednesday.
Outside hitters Kayla Lund and Leketor Member-Meneh, right side Chinaza Ndee and middle blocker Serena Gray each earned recognition.
Lund, Pitt's first two-time AVCA All-America Second Team (2019, 2020), added to program history by becoming the Panthers' first-ever First Team selection. Her honors are the highest individual accolades ever earned by a Pitt volleyball player.
Member-Meneh was named to the AVCA All-America Second Team, earning the first All-America honors of her career. She is the fourth Panther ever to land on the All-America Second Team, joining Lund (2019, 2020), Ndee (2019) and Ann Marie Lucanie (1993).
Ndee became a two-time All-America Team honoree by earning a spot on the Third Team. She was named to the Second Team in 2020 and earned Honorable Mention honors in 2019.
Gray earned All-America Honorable Mention honors for the third time her career after garnering the accolades twice while at Penn State (2018, 2019).
The 2021 season marks the eighth consecutive year that the Panthers have earned AVCA All-America honors.
Up next, the Panthers will compete in the National Semifinals for the first time as the No. 3 national seed in the 2021 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship Thursday against No. 10 seed Nebraska (25-7, 15-4 Big Ten) at 9:30 p.m. ET at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. A win would put the Panthers in the National Championship, to be played Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET at Nationwide Arena.
LUND 2021 HIGHLIGHTS
Pitt's first AVCA All-America First Team selection in program history … Four-time AVCA East Coast All-Region honoree (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021) in addition to two East Coast Player of the Year titles (2019, 2020) and a Freshman of the Year award (2017) … Four-time member of All-ACC First Team (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021) … Top 10 Finalist for 2021 Senior CLASS Award … Named Sports Imports / AVCA National Player of the Week (Sept. 7) and ACC Co-Player of the Week (Sept. 7) following a weekend when she averaged 4.00 kills per set on .377 in back-to-back wins against No. 9 Baylor and Tennessee … Averages 3.04 kills and 2.26 digs per set … Recorded a season-best 21 kills twice, against No. 9 Baylor (Sept. 4) and in the NCAA Second Round against Penn State (Dec. 4) … Picked up a season-best 16 digs against No. 23 Rice (Aug. 27) … Seven double-doubles on the season … Preseason All-ACC Selection.
MEMBER-MENEH 2021 HIGHLIGHTS
2021 AVCA All-America Second Team … 2021 AVCA East Coast All-Region Team … 2021 All-ACC First Team … Named Most Valuable Player of the Pittsburgh Regional by media … Leads Pitt with 3.22 kills per set and nine double-doubles this season … Averaging 4.57 kills and 2.36 digs per set during the NCAA Tournament … ACC Co-Player of the Week (Nov. 23) … Ranks second for Pitt with 2.34 digs per set this season … Tied a career high with 23 kills at Syracuse (Nov. 12), which are the most by a Panther in a single match this season.
NDEE 2021 HIGHLIGHTS
2021 AVCA All-America Third Team … Three-time AVCA East Coast All-Region honoree (2019, 2020, 2021) … Three-time member of All-ACC First Team (2019, 2020, 2021) … ACC Player of the Week (Sept. 14) … Ranks second for Pitt with 3.05 kills per set … Posted a season-best 17 kills against three opponents: No. 12 BYU (Sept. 10), No. 18 Georgia Tech (Oct. 10) and at Miami (Oct. 15) … Recorded a season-best six blocks against three opponents: South Carolina (Aug. 28), No. 9 Baylor (Sept. 4) and Notre Dame (Oct. 22) … Preseason All-ACC Selection.
GRAY 2021 HIGHLIGHTS
Three-time AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honoree (2018, 2019, 2021) … Three-time AVCA All-Region honoree, two in the Northeast (2018, 2019) and one in the East Coast (2021) … 2021 All-ACC First Team … Leads Pitt and ranks second in the ACC with a .415 hitting percentage … Team-best 42 service aces this season … Ranks second for Pitt with 1.08 blocks per set … Posted a career-high 19 kills on .607 hitting at Notre Dame (Oct. 22) … Recorded a career-best nine blocks at Tennessee (Sept. 5) … Tied a career high with four service aces against Syracuse (Nov. 5), which are the most by a Panther in a single match this season … Preseason All-ACC Selection.
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Outside hitters Kayla Lund and Leketor Member-Meneh, right side Chinaza Ndee and middle blocker Serena Gray each earned recognition.
Lund, Pitt's first two-time AVCA All-America Second Team (2019, 2020), added to program history by becoming the Panthers' first-ever First Team selection. Her honors are the highest individual accolades ever earned by a Pitt volleyball player.
Member-Meneh was named to the AVCA All-America Second Team, earning the first All-America honors of her career. She is the fourth Panther ever to land on the All-America Second Team, joining Lund (2019, 2020), Ndee (2019) and Ann Marie Lucanie (1993).
Ndee became a two-time All-America Team honoree by earning a spot on the Third Team. She was named to the Second Team in 2020 and earned Honorable Mention honors in 2019.
Gray earned All-America Honorable Mention honors for the third time her career after garnering the accolades twice while at Penn State (2018, 2019).
The 2021 season marks the eighth consecutive year that the Panthers have earned AVCA All-America honors.
Up next, the Panthers will compete in the National Semifinals for the first time as the No. 3 national seed in the 2021 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship Thursday against No. 10 seed Nebraska (25-7, 15-4 Big Ten) at 9:30 p.m. ET at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. A win would put the Panthers in the National Championship, to be played Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET at Nationwide Arena.
LUND 2021 HIGHLIGHTS
Pitt's first AVCA All-America First Team selection in program history … Four-time AVCA East Coast All-Region honoree (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021) in addition to two East Coast Player of the Year titles (2019, 2020) and a Freshman of the Year award (2017) … Four-time member of All-ACC First Team (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021) … Top 10 Finalist for 2021 Senior CLASS Award … Named Sports Imports / AVCA National Player of the Week (Sept. 7) and ACC Co-Player of the Week (Sept. 7) following a weekend when she averaged 4.00 kills per set on .377 in back-to-back wins against No. 9 Baylor and Tennessee … Averages 3.04 kills and 2.26 digs per set … Recorded a season-best 21 kills twice, against No. 9 Baylor (Sept. 4) and in the NCAA Second Round against Penn State (Dec. 4) … Picked up a season-best 16 digs against No. 23 Rice (Aug. 27) … Seven double-doubles on the season … Preseason All-ACC Selection.
MEMBER-MENEH 2021 HIGHLIGHTS
2021 AVCA All-America Second Team … 2021 AVCA East Coast All-Region Team … 2021 All-ACC First Team … Named Most Valuable Player of the Pittsburgh Regional by media … Leads Pitt with 3.22 kills per set and nine double-doubles this season … Averaging 4.57 kills and 2.36 digs per set during the NCAA Tournament … ACC Co-Player of the Week (Nov. 23) … Ranks second for Pitt with 2.34 digs per set this season … Tied a career high with 23 kills at Syracuse (Nov. 12), which are the most by a Panther in a single match this season.
NDEE 2021 HIGHLIGHTS
2021 AVCA All-America Third Team … Three-time AVCA East Coast All-Region honoree (2019, 2020, 2021) … Three-time member of All-ACC First Team (2019, 2020, 2021) … ACC Player of the Week (Sept. 14) … Ranks second for Pitt with 3.05 kills per set … Posted a season-best 17 kills against three opponents: No. 12 BYU (Sept. 10), No. 18 Georgia Tech (Oct. 10) and at Miami (Oct. 15) … Recorded a season-best six blocks against three opponents: South Carolina (Aug. 28), No. 9 Baylor (Sept. 4) and Notre Dame (Oct. 22) … Preseason All-ACC Selection.
GRAY 2021 HIGHLIGHTS
Three-time AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honoree (2018, 2019, 2021) … Three-time AVCA All-Region honoree, two in the Northeast (2018, 2019) and one in the East Coast (2021) … 2021 All-ACC First Team … Leads Pitt and ranks second in the ACC with a .415 hitting percentage … Team-best 42 service aces this season … Ranks second for Pitt with 1.08 blocks per set … Posted a career-high 19 kills on .607 hitting at Notre Dame (Oct. 22) … Recorded a career-best nine blocks at Tennessee (Sept. 5) … Tied a career high with four service aces against Syracuse (Nov. 5), which are the most by a Panther in a single match this season … Preseason All-ACC Selection.
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