Four Different Schools Receive 2024 CAA Volleyball Major Awards
Rob Washburn
RICHMOND, Va. (November 20, 2024) – Four different schools were represented among the five major CAA volleyball postseason awards that were announced on Wednesday afternoon. The awards were voted on by the league’s 12 head coaches.
Towson senior outside hitter
Victoria Barrett was selected as the CAA Player of the Year, Delaware graduate
Lily Rogers was chosen as the CAA Setter of the Year and Charleston senior libero
Tynley Smeltzer was tabbed as the CAA Libero of the Year for the second consecutive season. North Carolina A&T received the other two major awards as freshman outside hitter
Tyne Ross earned CAA Rookie of the Year honors and
Hal Clifton received Coach of the Year accolades.
Barrett ranked second in the CAA with 4.13 kills per set while hitting .261, which was 10
th-best in the conference. She also contributed in many other areas, averaging 2.33 digs per set, making 66 blocks and tallying 35 service aces. It’s the second straight season that Towson has had the CAA Player of the Year.
Rogers is the first Delaware player to earn Setter of the Year honors since 2011. The graduate student led the CAA with 10.48 assists per set, which ranks in the top 30 nationally. She was also second on the team with 33 service aces, contributed over two digs per set and added 57 kills and 50 blocks.
Smeltzer repeats as CAA Libero of the Year after another impressive year for the Cougars. The graduate student ranked fourth in the conference with 4.48 digs per set and was second on the team with 33 service aces. Smeltzer became just the eighth player in Charleston history to surpass 1,500 career digs.
Ross is the second North Carolina A&T player in as many years to be named CAA Rookie of the Year. The Aggies outside hitter led the league with 4.39 kills per set while hitting .252. She also topped the conference with 4.84 points per set and added 190 digs and 29 blocks.
Clifton receives CAA Coach of the Year accolades for the first time. North Carolina A&T was picked to finish 11
th in the league’s preseason poll but placed fifth with a 12-6 conference record and went 17-9 overall. The Aggies swept five of their nine conference weekends.
Along with the major awards, the two All-CAA teams and All-Rookie team were announced. Joining Barrett, Rogers and Ross on the All-CAA first team were Charleston’s Emily Banitt and Caitlyn Callahan, Hofstra’s Chiara Cucco and Izadora Stedile, Delaware’s Kirah Johnson and Stony Brook’s Kali Moore.
Making the All-CAA second team were Charleston’s Smeltzer, Towson’s Zyare Abdul-Rahim and Ylenia De Mango, Hofstra’s Clara Bal, Delaware’s Anna Logan Gillens, Stony Brook’s Torri Henry and Leoni Kunz, North Carolina A&T’s Hannah Howell and Elon’s Sydney Love.
Recognized on the CAA All-Rookie team along with Ross were Stony Brook’s Quinn Anderson, Campbell’s Maddie Lambers, Hofstra’s Ellie Pamatat and Constanza Perez Sain, Elon’s Catherine Rucker and Northeastern’s Brynn Smith.
First Team All-CAA
| Name |
School |
Cl. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Victoria Barrett |
Towson |
Sr. |
OH |
Stafford, Va. |
| Emily Banitt |
Charleston |
Gr. |
OH |
Prescott, Wisc. |
| Caitlyn Callahan |
Charleston |
Gr. |
MB |
Wellsboro, Pa. |
| Chiara Cucco |
Hofstra |
Sr. |
L |
Buscate, Italy |
| Kirah Johnson |
Delaware |
Gr. |
MB |
Centreville, Va. |
| Kali Moore |
Stony Brook |
Jr. |
OH |
Brooklyn, N.Y. |
| Lily Rogers |
Delaware |
Gr. |
S |
St. Louis, Mo. |
| Tyne Ross |
North Carolina A&T |
Fr. |
OH |
Cameron, N.C. |
| Izadora Stedile |
Hofstra |
Jr. |
OH |
Curitiba, Parana, Brazil |
Second Team All-CAA
| Name |
School |
Cl. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Zyare Abdul-Rahim |
Towson |
Gr. |
OH |
Baltimore, Md. |
| Clara Bal |
Hofstra |
Jr. |
RS |
Riom, France |
| Ylenia De Mango |
Towson |
Sr. |
MB |
Bari, Italy |
| Anna Logan Gillens |
Delaware |
So. |
OH |
West Columbia, S.C. |
| Torri Henry |
Stony Brook |
Gr. |
S |
Belton, Mo. |
| Hannah Howell |
North Carolina A&T |
Sr. |
OH |
St. Louis Park, Minn. |
| Leoni Kunz |
Stony Brook |
Gr. |
OH |
Knoxville, Tenn. |
| Sydney Love |
Elon |
Sr. |
OH |
Chesapeake, Va. |
| Tynley Smeltzer |
Charleston |
Sr. |
L |
Savannah, Ga. |
2024 CAA Player of the Year: Victoria Barrett, Towson
2024 CAA Setter of the Year: Lily Rogers, Delaware
2024 CAA Libero of the Year: Tynley Smeltzer, Charleston
2024 CAA Rookie of the Year: Tyne Ross, North Carolina A&T
2024 CAA Coach of the Year: Hal Clifton, North Carolina A&T
CAA All-Rookie Team
| Name |
School |
Cl. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Quinn Anderson |
Stony Brook |
Fr. |
OH |
Westborough, Mass. |
| Maddie Lambers |
Campbell |
Fr. |
MB |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Ellie Pamatat |
Hofstra |
Fr. |
S |
Garden City, N.Y. |
| Constanza Perez Sain |
Hofstra |
Fr. |
RS |
Santa Lucia, San Juan, Argentina |
| Tyne Ross |
North Carolina A&T |
Fr. |
OH |
Cameron, N.C. |
| Catherine Rucker |
Elon |
Fr. |
MB |
Chapel Hill, N.C. |
| Brynn Smith |
Northeastern |
Fr. |
OH |
Long Grove, Ill. |
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