University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Four Panthers Earn AVCA All-Region Honors
12/7/2021 11:36:00 AM | Volleyball
Gray, Lund, Member-Meneh, Ndee Earn Coaches’ Association Recognition
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Four Panthers from the University of Pittsburgh volleyball team (28-3, 15-3 ACC) have been named to the 2021 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) East Coast All-Region Team, as announced Tuesday.
Middle blocker Serena Gray, outside hitter Kayla Lund, outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh and right side Chinaza Ndee each earned the recognition.
Lund, a two-time East Coast All-Region Player of the Year (2019, 2020) and Freshman of the Year (2017) earned her fourth consecutive East Coast All-Region honor (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021). The honors are the third for Ndee and Gray, with Ndee all in the East Coast (2019, 2020, 2021) and Gray in the Northeast while at Penn State (2018, 2019). Member-Meneh is an All-Region honoree for the first time in her career.
Up next, the Panthers will compete in the Regional Semifinals as the No. 3 national seed in the 2021 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship Thursday against Kansas (18-11) at 1 p.m. ET at Fitzgerald Field house. A win would put the Panthers in the Regional Final, to be played Saturday at 4 p.m. ET at Fitzgerald Field House.
GRAY 2021 HIGHLIGHTS
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 third in the ACC with a .400 hitting percentage … Team-best 38 service aces this season … Ranks second for Pitt with 1.07 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.
LUND 2021 HIGHLIGHTS
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 … Leads Pitt with 3.14 kills 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 All-ACC First Team … Leads Pitt with nine double-doubles this season … ACC Co-Player of the Week (Nov. 23) … Ranks second for Pitt with 26 total service aces and 2.38 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 … One of three Panthers to average more than 3.0 kills per set this season (second, 3.13).
NDEE 2021 HIGHLIGHTS
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 third 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.
EAST COAST REGION
Julia Bergmann, Georgia Tech, OH, Jr.
Mariana Brambilla, Georgia Tech, RS, Sr.
Mackenzie Cole, Duke University, L, Sr.
Sophia Davis, James Madison University, MB, Jr.
Serena Gray, University of Pittsburgh, MB, Sr.
KJ Johnson, Fairfield University, OH, Jr.
Janice Leao, University of Miami, MB, Jr.
Kayla Lund, University of Pittsburgh, OH, Gr.
Matti McKissock, Georgia Tech, S, Sr.
Leketor Member-Meneh, University of Pittsburgh, OH, Sr.
Chinaza Ndee, University of Pittsburgh, RS ,Gr.
Nia Parker-Robinson, University of North Carolina, OH, Gr.
Rachele Rastelli, St. John's University, RS, Sr.
Savannah Vach, University of Miami, S, Jr.
HONORABLE MENTION
Sharlissa De Jesus, The Citadel, OH, Gr.
Angela Grieve, University of Miami, OH, R-So.
Kaya Merkler, University of North Carolina, MB, So.
Caylee Parker, University of Connecticut, OH, Sr.
Mabrey Shaffmaster, University of North Carolina, OH, Fr.
Loren Teter, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, L, Gr.
Miëtte Veldman, James Madison University, OH, So.
East Coast Region Player of the Year: Julia Bergmann, Georgia Tech, OH, Jr.
East Coast Region Freshman of the Year: Mabrey Shaffmaster, University of North Carolina, OH
East Coast Region Coach of the Year: Michelle Collier, Georgia Tech
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Middle blocker Serena Gray, outside hitter Kayla Lund, outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh and right side Chinaza Ndee each earned the recognition.
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— Pitt Volleyball ???????????? (@Pitt_VB) December 7, 2021
MORE AWARDS FOR THE FAB FOUR!@kaylund9@LeketorMeneh@Serrena7Gray@NdeeChinaza
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Lund, a two-time East Coast All-Region Player of the Year (2019, 2020) and Freshman of the Year (2017) earned her fourth consecutive East Coast All-Region honor (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021). The honors are the third for Ndee and Gray, with Ndee all in the East Coast (2019, 2020, 2021) and Gray in the Northeast while at Penn State (2018, 2019). Member-Meneh is an All-Region honoree for the first time in her career.
Up next, the Panthers will compete in the Regional Semifinals as the No. 3 national seed in the 2021 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship Thursday against Kansas (18-11) at 1 p.m. ET at Fitzgerald Field house. A win would put the Panthers in the Regional Final, to be played Saturday at 4 p.m. ET at Fitzgerald Field House.
GRAY 2021 HIGHLIGHTS
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 third in the ACC with a .400 hitting percentage … Team-best 38 service aces this season … Ranks second for Pitt with 1.07 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.
LUND 2021 HIGHLIGHTS
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 … Leads Pitt with 3.14 kills 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 All-ACC First Team … Leads Pitt with nine double-doubles this season … ACC Co-Player of the Week (Nov. 23) … Ranks second for Pitt with 26 total service aces and 2.38 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 … One of three Panthers to average more than 3.0 kills per set this season (second, 3.13).
NDEE 2021 HIGHLIGHTS
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 third 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.
EAST COAST REGION
Julia Bergmann, Georgia Tech, OH, Jr.
Mariana Brambilla, Georgia Tech, RS, Sr.
Mackenzie Cole, Duke University, L, Sr.
Sophia Davis, James Madison University, MB, Jr.
Serena Gray, University of Pittsburgh, MB, Sr.
KJ Johnson, Fairfield University, OH, Jr.
Janice Leao, University of Miami, MB, Jr.
Kayla Lund, University of Pittsburgh, OH, Gr.
Matti McKissock, Georgia Tech, S, Sr.
Leketor Member-Meneh, University of Pittsburgh, OH, Sr.
Chinaza Ndee, University of Pittsburgh, RS ,Gr.
Nia Parker-Robinson, University of North Carolina, OH, Gr.
Rachele Rastelli, St. John's University, RS, Sr.
Savannah Vach, University of Miami, S, Jr.
HONORABLE MENTION
Sharlissa De Jesus, The Citadel, OH, Gr.
Angela Grieve, University of Miami, OH, R-So.
Kaya Merkler, University of North Carolina, MB, So.
Caylee Parker, University of Connecticut, OH, Sr.
Mabrey Shaffmaster, University of North Carolina, OH, Fr.
Loren Teter, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, L, Gr.
Miëtte Veldman, James Madison University, OH, So.
East Coast Region Player of the Year: Julia Bergmann, Georgia Tech, OH, Jr.
East Coast Region Freshman of the Year: Mabrey Shaffmaster, University of North Carolina, OH
East Coast Region Coach of the Year: Michelle Collier, Georgia Tech
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Players Mentioned
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