Anna Richardson, a senior hitter who led Smyrna to its first DIAA volleyball championship in 2023, has been named the player of the year by the Delaware Volleyball Coaches Association.
Three Catholic school players were named to the first team. They are seniors Taylor Holly of Saint Mark’s and Ceci Connolly of Archmere, along with Ursuline junior C.C. DeCaro. Other members of the first team include Tower Hill seniors Megan Mumford and Molly Pietlock, Appoquinimink senior Alexis Parkinson and Delmarva Christian junior Elaina Millaway.
Second team
Claire Kelly, a junior at Ursuline, and Saint Mark’s senior Ava Borcky earned second-team honors. The other members of the second team are Eliza Schneider, senior, Smyrna; Melissa Eddy, senior, Caesar Rodney; Kennedy Pavlekovich, sophomore, Newark Charter; Kate Hines, junior, Delaware Military; Shayla Howell, junior, St. Georges; and Ami Plymyer, senior, Dickinson.
Third team
The third team includes Archmere senior Katie Kuehl and a pair of Saint Mark’s players, junior Lauren Mehelas and sophomore Maddi Way. Other third-teamers include Lydia Spencer, junior, Tower Hill; Kayla Riley, sophomore, St. Georges; Jaslyn Dawkins, sophomore, Appoquinimink; Ellie Dealy, senior, Wilmington Friends; Elise Carter, senior, Smyrna; Seraphina Pabian, sophomore, Wilmington Charter; and Sara Shuts, senior, Newark Charter.
Jake Bluhm of Caesar Rodney is the coach of the year. He led the Riders to a 15-3 record and a trip to the state semifinals. Delmarva Christian won the sportsmanship award.
A new award was established this year, the Jennifer Mayer Humanitarian and Service Award. It is named after the former Christiana High School teacher, volleyball coach and athletic director who died in September 2022. The winners were Allison Lang, a senior at Padua Academy, and Maya Hill, a junior at Delaware Military Academy.
