Brown, Pressly, Price Land on 2021 All-BIG EAST Team
11/24/2021 12:00:00 PM | WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Zidek, Higgins and Vogel named coaching staff of the year
CHICAGO – After leading DePaul to its most successful season in recent history, Donna Brown, Jill Pressly and Emma Price were selected to the 2021 All-BIG EAST Team as announced by the conference office on Wednesday afternoon.
DePaul's coaching staff led by fourth-year head coach Marie Zidek and assistants Erin Higgins and Nick Vogel were named BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the year as voted on by the league's 11 head coaches.
Brown lands on the All-BIG EAST Team for the second time in her storied career after picking up all-conference accolades in 2019. Brown led the BIG EAST in hitting efficiency at a blistering .382 clip in conference matches. The senior middle blocker averaged 2.15 kills per set across 18 league matches with 142 kills and just 33 errors. The Galloway, Ohio native led the Blue Demons at the net with 65 blocks including 10 solo to average .98 blocks per set. Brown's blocking output ranks ninth in the conference.
Sophomore outside hitter Jill Pressly emerged as one of the most potent attackers in the league in her second season in Lincoln Park. Pressly wrapped up her first true BIG EAST regular season ranked fifth in kills per set at 3.21 to lead DePaul while also chipping in 2.49 digs per set in conference matches. A true six-rotation player, the Plano, Texas native added 15 service aces, good for second on the squad. Pressly notched four double-doubles in conference play while putting up double-figure kills in 13 of 18 matches.
Price earns the first BIG EAST recognition of her career after a standout season on the right side. After electing to return to DePaul for a fifth-year, Price elevated the Blue Demons attack with 2.62 kills per set, second on the team, at a .311 efficiency which ranks sixth in the conference. Price eclipsed 1,000 kills in her career in a 3-1 victory over St. John's on November 5. In the midst of DePaul's current six-match win streak, Price has seen double figure kills in five matches, hitting .383 in that span.
Zidek and Co. have led the Blue Demons to new heights in the fall campaign as DePaul earned its first berth to the BIG EAST Tournament while picking up the most wins in conference play since joining the league in 2005. DePaul's 19 wins on the season are the most since the 2001 NCAA Tournament team won 24 matches. The Blue Demons finished over .500 overall for just the second time since being a conference member and picked up milestone wins along the way including its first over Northwestern since 1981 en route to winning the Chicago Cup.
The Blue Demons will travel to Milwaukee for semifinal action against top-seeded Creighton on Friday, Nov. 26 in the 2021 BIG EAST Championship presented by Jeep. First serve is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT from the Al McGuire Center.
2021 BIG EAST Volleyball Regular Season Awards
BIG EAST Co-Players of the Year
Taylor Wolf, Marquette, Gr., S/RS
Rachele Rastelli, St. John's, Sr., RS
BIG EAST Libero of the Year
Jaymeson Kinley, Butler, Jr., L
BIG EAST Setter of the Year
McKayla Wuensch, UConn, Gr., S
BIG EAST Freshman of the Year
Norah Sis, Creighton, Fr., OH
Coaching Staff of the Year
DePaul (Head Coach: Marie Zidek)
All-BIG EAST Team
(listed alphabetically by institution, then last name)
Melody Davidson, Butler, R-Sr., MB ^
Jaymeson Kinley, Butler, Jr., L ^
Kennadie Jake-Turner, UConn Sr., MB
Caylee Parker, UConn, Sr., OH ^
McKayla Wuensch, UConn, Gr., S
Abby Bottomley, Creighton, Sr., L
Norah Sis, Creighton, Fr., OH ^
Kendra Wait, Creighton, Fr., S
Jaela Zimmerman, Creighton, Sr., OH ^
Donna Brown, DePaul, Sr., MB
Jill Pressly, DePaul, So., OH
Emma Price, DePaul, Gr., RS
Savannah Rennie, Marquette, Gr., MB
Hope Werch, Marquette, Gr., OH ^
Taylor Wolf, Marquette, Gr., S/RS ^
Ariadni Kathariou, St. John's, Sr., MB
Rachele Rastelli, St. John's, Sr., RS ^
Carrigan O'Reilly, Xavier, Jr., S
All-BIG EAST Freshman Team
(listed alphabetically by institution, then last name)
Mariah Grunze, Butler, Fr., OH
Norah Sis, Creighton, Fr., OH ^
Kendra Wait, Creighton, Fr., S ^
Shaliyah Rhoden, Providence, Fr., OH ^
Giorgia Walther, St. John's, Fr., OH ^
Rose Crist, Villanova, Fr., OH
^ - denotes unanimous selection
DePaul's coaching staff led by fourth-year head coach Marie Zidek and assistants Erin Higgins and Nick Vogel were named BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the year as voted on by the league's 11 head coaches.
Brown lands on the All-BIG EAST Team for the second time in her storied career after picking up all-conference accolades in 2019. Brown led the BIG EAST in hitting efficiency at a blistering .382 clip in conference matches. The senior middle blocker averaged 2.15 kills per set across 18 league matches with 142 kills and just 33 errors. The Galloway, Ohio native led the Blue Demons at the net with 65 blocks including 10 solo to average .98 blocks per set. Brown's blocking output ranks ninth in the conference.
Sophomore outside hitter Jill Pressly emerged as one of the most potent attackers in the league in her second season in Lincoln Park. Pressly wrapped up her first true BIG EAST regular season ranked fifth in kills per set at 3.21 to lead DePaul while also chipping in 2.49 digs per set in conference matches. A true six-rotation player, the Plano, Texas native added 15 service aces, good for second on the squad. Pressly notched four double-doubles in conference play while putting up double-figure kills in 13 of 18 matches.
Price earns the first BIG EAST recognition of her career after a standout season on the right side. After electing to return to DePaul for a fifth-year, Price elevated the Blue Demons attack with 2.62 kills per set, second on the team, at a .311 efficiency which ranks sixth in the conference. Price eclipsed 1,000 kills in her career in a 3-1 victory over St. John's on November 5. In the midst of DePaul's current six-match win streak, Price has seen double figure kills in five matches, hitting .383 in that span.
Zidek and Co. have led the Blue Demons to new heights in the fall campaign as DePaul earned its first berth to the BIG EAST Tournament while picking up the most wins in conference play since joining the league in 2005. DePaul's 19 wins on the season are the most since the 2001 NCAA Tournament team won 24 matches. The Blue Demons finished over .500 overall for just the second time since being a conference member and picked up milestone wins along the way including its first over Northwestern since 1981 en route to winning the Chicago Cup.
The Blue Demons will travel to Milwaukee for semifinal action against top-seeded Creighton on Friday, Nov. 26 in the 2021 BIG EAST Championship presented by Jeep. First serve is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT from the Al McGuire Center.
2021 BIG EAST Volleyball Regular Season Awards
BIG EAST Co-Players of the Year
Taylor Wolf, Marquette, Gr., S/RS
Rachele Rastelli, St. John's, Sr., RS
BIG EAST Libero of the Year
Jaymeson Kinley, Butler, Jr., L
BIG EAST Setter of the Year
McKayla Wuensch, UConn, Gr., S
BIG EAST Freshman of the Year
Norah Sis, Creighton, Fr., OH
Coaching Staff of the Year
DePaul (Head Coach: Marie Zidek)
All-BIG EAST Team
(listed alphabetically by institution, then last name)
Melody Davidson, Butler, R-Sr., MB ^
Jaymeson Kinley, Butler, Jr., L ^
Kennadie Jake-Turner, UConn Sr., MB
Caylee Parker, UConn, Sr., OH ^
McKayla Wuensch, UConn, Gr., S
Abby Bottomley, Creighton, Sr., L
Norah Sis, Creighton, Fr., OH ^
Kendra Wait, Creighton, Fr., S
Jaela Zimmerman, Creighton, Sr., OH ^
Donna Brown, DePaul, Sr., MB
Jill Pressly, DePaul, So., OH
Emma Price, DePaul, Gr., RS
Savannah Rennie, Marquette, Gr., MB
Hope Werch, Marquette, Gr., OH ^
Taylor Wolf, Marquette, Gr., S/RS ^
Ariadni Kathariou, St. John's, Sr., MB
Rachele Rastelli, St. John's, Sr., RS ^
Carrigan O'Reilly, Xavier, Jr., S
All-BIG EAST Freshman Team
(listed alphabetically by institution, then last name)
Mariah Grunze, Butler, Fr., OH
Norah Sis, Creighton, Fr., OH ^
Kendra Wait, Creighton, Fr., S ^
Shaliyah Rhoden, Providence, Fr., OH ^
Giorgia Walther, St. John's, Fr., OH ^
Rose Crist, Villanova, Fr., OH
^ - denotes unanimous selection
Players Mentioned
MB
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OH
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RS
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