TOWSON, Md. - Junior outside hitter Lana Zonjic and redshirt freshman
middle blocker Lolade Owokoniran were both recognized by the Colonial Athletic
Association on Thursday night, as Zonjic earned a spot on the All-CAA Second
Team while Owokoniran was tabbed to the All-Rookie Team. The awards were
announced at the banquet on the eve of the CAA Championship based on a vote by
the conference head coaches.
Zonjic led the Patriots and ranked second in the conference
with 338 kills (3.67 kps) while serving a conference and team-high 34 aces this
season, while she also ranked second on the team in digs (236). This is the
third All-CAA honor for the Zagreb, Croatia native, as she earned All-Rookie
honors in 2010 and was selected to the Third Team last year.
After redshirting and sitting out last season, Owokoniran
had a strong debut campaign including hitting .267, a figure that ranked ninth
in the conference. The Raleigh, N.C. native was third on the team with 161
kills and second in blocks (83).
Northeastern's Kelly Bacon took home top individual honors,
while Towson's Aubrey Kirven was Setter of the Year and Delaware's Ariel Shonk
was named the top defensive specialist. William & Mary outside hitter Dessi
Koleva was named the Rookie of the Year, while Towson's Bruce Atkinson was
selected the Coach of the Year.
2012 ALL-CAA VOLLEYBALL TEAMS
Selected by CAA Volleyball Coaches
FIRST TEAM
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School
Alissa Alker, Delaware Sr. OH San
Diego, Calif./Scripps Ranch
Kelly Bacon, Northeastern Jr. OH Temecula,
Calif./Temecula Valley
Nicole Bishop, Northeastern Sr. MH Park
City, Utah/Park City
Katy Buck, Towson Jr. OH Catonsville,
Md./Mount de Sales Academy
Aubrey Kirven, Towson Sr. S Uniontown,
Ohio/Lake/Loyola Univ.
Kelsie Wills, Hofstra So. OH Matamata,
New Zealand/Matamata College
SECOND TEAM
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School
Catalina Charry, Hofstra Sr. S Santiago
de Cali, Colombia/Salt Lake CC
Danielle Erb, James Madison Sr. OH Tampa,
Fla./Plant
I'ishah Keliikoa, Towson Jr. RS/OP Mililani,
Hawaii/I'olani
Dessi Koleva, William & Mary Fr. OH Torrance,
Calif./South
Christi Laite, UNCW Jr. RS Severna
Park, Md./Severna Park
Chelsea Lawrence, Delaware Sr. MH Evanston,
Ill./Evanston Township
Lana Zonjic, George Mason Jr. OH Zagreb,
Croatia/II Gimnazjia Zagreb
THIRD TEAM
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School
Natalie Abel, James Madison Sr. OH Washington,
Pa./Trinity
Jillian Briner, Northeastern So. S/OH Oak
Park, Ill./Oak Park & River Forest
Marta Machos, Towson Sr. OP Tomaszow,
Lubelski, Poland/Midland College
Shaylin O'Connell, William & Mary Sr. MH Leesburg, Va./Loudoun County
Ariel Shonk, Delaware Fr. DS/L Atlanta,
Ga./Riverwood Int'l Charter
Natalia Skiba, Northeastern So. L/OH Westmont,
Ill./Hinsdale Central
ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School
Dessi Koleva, William & Mary Fr. OH Torrance,
Calif./South
Meghan Niski, James Madison Fr. OH St.
Charles, Ill./St. Charles East
Mackenzie Olsen, Delaware Fr. S Villa
Park, Calif./Villa Park
Lola Owokoniran, George Mason Fr. MB Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield
Ariel Shonk, Delaware Fr. DS/L Atlanta,
Ga./Riverwood Int'l Charter
Eliza Zachary, Georgia State Fr. MB Bloomington,
Minn./Jefferson
2012 CAA Player of the Year: Kelly
Bacon, Northeastern
2012 CAA Setter of the Year: Aubrey
Kirven, Towson
2012 CAA Defensive Specialist of the Year: Ariel Shonk, Delaware
2012 CAA Rookie of the Year: Dessi
Koleva, William & Mary
2012 CAA Coach of the Year: Bruce
Atkinson, Towson
