University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Photo by: Mark Kuhlmann/NCAA Photos
Pitt Volleyball Continues to Make History with All-America Selections
4/21/2021 11:01:00 AM | Volleyball
Lund, Ndee Tie Highest Individual Merits Ever Earned by a Panther
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 2020-21 Pitt volleyball team continued to make history Wednesday as the American Volleyball Coaches Association's (AVCA) announced its All-America selections.
For the first time ever, two Panthers were named to the All-America Second Team in the same season, each tying the highest individual honors ever earned by a Pitt volleyball player.
Senior outside hitter Kayla Lund was named to the All-America Second Team for the second consecutive season, becoming the Panther's first two-time member of an AVCA All-America team.
Senior right side hitter Chinaza Ndee earned her first All-America Second Team selection, following an honorable mention selection in 2019. Ndee is the third Panther ever to land on the All-America Second Team, joining Lund and Ann Marie Lucanie (1993).
In addition to Pitt's two Second Team selections, sophomore middle blocker Chiamaka Nwokolo earned a nod as an All-America Honorable Mention. The honor is the first of her career.
The 2020-21 season marks the seventh consecutive year that the Panthers have earned AVCA All-America honors.
Pitt volleyball's longest run ever in the NCAA Tournament ended in the Regional Final Monday with a 3-2 loss to No. 6 seed Washington at CHI Health Center in Omaha, Neb. The match marked the Panthers' first appearance ever in the Round of Eight.
LUND 2020-21 HIGHLIGHTS
Named an AVCA All-America Second Team selection for the second consecutive season, tying the highest individual honors ever earned by a Pitt volleyball player … First player in program history to earn two selections to an All-America team … Repeated as AVCA East Coast Region Player of the Year, first for the Pitt volleyball program … First in ACC history to repeat as Volleyball Player of the Year, after earning the honors in 2019 … Three-time member of All-ACC First Team (2018, 2019, 2020) … Became the seventh player in program history to record more than 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs for her career after notching her 1,000th dig in the Panthers' NCAA First Round match against LIU (April 14) … Led Pitt in points per set (4.42), kills per set (3.74), digs per set (2.95) and service aces per set (0.41) … Team-best nine double-doubles and three matches with 20 or more kills … Led the ACC in total points (389.0), total kills (329) and total attacks (805) … Recorded the first 20-20 match of her career with 21 kills and 20 digs in a five-set thriller at Duke (March 21) … Recorded a career-best 25 kills against Boston College (Oct. 9) … Second season as team captain for the Panthers … Named ACC Player of the Week (March 24) … Preseason All-ACC Selection.
NDEE 2020-21 HIGHLIGHTS
AVCA All-America Second Team selection; first honors of career … Third Panther all-time to make the All-America Second Team … Two-time AVCA East Coast All-Region Team selection (2019, 2020) … Second consecutive selection to All-ACC First Team (2019, 2020) … Top 10 Finalist for 2020-21 Senior CLASS Award … Became Pitt's 18th member of the 1,000 Kill Club, crossing the threshold during the Panthers' NCAA Regional Final match against No. 6 seed Washington (April 19) … Second for Pitt in points per set (3.95), kills per set (3.38) and blocks per set (0.94) … Recorded a season-best 21 kills at Syracuse (Sept. 25) … Hit a career-best .739 with 17 kills on 23 attempts against Boston College (Oct. 10) … Ranked third in the ACC in total points (347.5) and total blocks (83) … Named ACC Player of the Week (March 30) … Preseason All-ACC Selection.
NWOKOLO 2020-21 HIGHLIGHTS
AVCA All-America Honorable Mention; first honors of career … AVCA East Coast All-Region Honorable Mention; first of career … Led Pitt and ranked fourth in the ACC with a hitting percentage of .411 … Third for Pitt with 0.88 blocks per set and fourth on the team with 1.73 kills per set … Produced a career-high 13 kills on .647 hitting in the Panthers' first NCAA Regional Semifinal win in program history: a 3-2 upset of No. 3 seed Minnesota (April 18) … Hit a career-best .727 in a sweep at Villanova (Feb. 14) … Posted a career-high eight blocks against No. 5 Notre Dame (Oct. 18).
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For the first time ever, two Panthers were named to the All-America Second Team in the same season, each tying the highest individual honors ever earned by a Pitt volleyball player.
Senior outside hitter Kayla Lund was named to the All-America Second Team for the second consecutive season, becoming the Panther's first two-time member of an AVCA All-America team.
Senior right side hitter Chinaza Ndee earned her first All-America Second Team selection, following an honorable mention selection in 2019. Ndee is the third Panther ever to land on the All-America Second Team, joining Lund and Ann Marie Lucanie (1993).
In addition to Pitt's two Second Team selections, sophomore middle blocker Chiamaka Nwokolo earned a nod as an All-America Honorable Mention. The honor is the first of her career.
The 2020-21 season marks the seventh consecutive year that the Panthers have earned AVCA All-America honors.
Pitt volleyball's longest run ever in the NCAA Tournament ended in the Regional Final Monday with a 3-2 loss to No. 6 seed Washington at CHI Health Center in Omaha, Neb. The match marked the Panthers' first appearance ever in the Round of Eight.
LUND 2020-21 HIGHLIGHTS
Named an AVCA All-America Second Team selection for the second consecutive season, tying the highest individual honors ever earned by a Pitt volleyball player … First player in program history to earn two selections to an All-America team … Repeated as AVCA East Coast Region Player of the Year, first for the Pitt volleyball program … First in ACC history to repeat as Volleyball Player of the Year, after earning the honors in 2019 … Three-time member of All-ACC First Team (2018, 2019, 2020) … Became the seventh player in program history to record more than 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs for her career after notching her 1,000th dig in the Panthers' NCAA First Round match against LIU (April 14) … Led Pitt in points per set (4.42), kills per set (3.74), digs per set (2.95) and service aces per set (0.41) … Team-best nine double-doubles and three matches with 20 or more kills … Led the ACC in total points (389.0), total kills (329) and total attacks (805) … Recorded the first 20-20 match of her career with 21 kills and 20 digs in a five-set thriller at Duke (March 21) … Recorded a career-best 25 kills against Boston College (Oct. 9) … Second season as team captain for the Panthers … Named ACC Player of the Week (March 24) … Preseason All-ACC Selection.
NDEE 2020-21 HIGHLIGHTS
AVCA All-America Second Team selection; first honors of career … Third Panther all-time to make the All-America Second Team … Two-time AVCA East Coast All-Region Team selection (2019, 2020) … Second consecutive selection to All-ACC First Team (2019, 2020) … Top 10 Finalist for 2020-21 Senior CLASS Award … Became Pitt's 18th member of the 1,000 Kill Club, crossing the threshold during the Panthers' NCAA Regional Final match against No. 6 seed Washington (April 19) … Second for Pitt in points per set (3.95), kills per set (3.38) and blocks per set (0.94) … Recorded a season-best 21 kills at Syracuse (Sept. 25) … Hit a career-best .739 with 17 kills on 23 attempts against Boston College (Oct. 10) … Ranked third in the ACC in total points (347.5) and total blocks (83) … Named ACC Player of the Week (March 30) … Preseason All-ACC Selection.
NWOKOLO 2020-21 HIGHLIGHTS
AVCA All-America Honorable Mention; first honors of career … AVCA East Coast All-Region Honorable Mention; first of career … Led Pitt and ranked fourth in the ACC with a hitting percentage of .411 … Third for Pitt with 0.88 blocks per set and fourth on the team with 1.73 kills per set … Produced a career-high 13 kills on .647 hitting in the Panthers' first NCAA Regional Semifinal win in program history: a 3-2 upset of No. 3 seed Minnesota (April 18) … Hit a career-best .727 in a sweep at Villanova (Feb. 14) … Posted a career-high eight blocks against No. 5 Notre Dame (Oct. 18).
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