The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Volleyball garners seven All-Southwest Region honors
12.10.2013 | Volleyball
Jerritt Elliott named Southwest Region Coach of the Year, while freshman Chiaka Ogbogu was honored as freshman of the year.
LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Texas Volleyball head coach Jerritt Elliott and freshman middle blocker Chiaka Ogbogu headlined the Longhorns' seven American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division I All-Southwest Region honors, the organization announced Tuesday afternoon. Elliott earned his sixth coach of the year honor (2000, '04, '07, '10-11), while Ogbogu was tabbed freshman of the year.
All-Americans Bailey Webster and Haley Eckerman each claimed all-region honors for the third straight year, while junior middle blocker Khat Bell picked up her second in as many seasons. Senior setter Hannah Allison, sophomore middle blocker Molly McCage and Ogbogu are first time honorees. All six players are now eligible to earn All-America status when the awards are announced next week.
Since the awards begin in 1996, the Longhorns have had at least four players earn all-region status on six occasions (1990, 1993, 2007-08, '12-13).
A dual threat for the Longhorns, Ogbogu ranked second among all Big 12 Conference players in hitting percentage in league-only matches (.386) and overall matches (.390), while ranking ninth (1.08) and eighth in blocks (1.08), respectively. Ogbogu claimed three Big 12 Rookie of the Week awards this season. She is averaging 1.68 kills per set entering the NCAA Lincoln Regional and posted a hitting percentage of .500 or better in 12 matches where she recorded at least five kills. The third Longhorn to earn Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors, Ogbogu also has seven matches with five or more blocks. She was the only freshman on this year's All-Big 12 First Team and was unanimously selected as an All-Freshman honoree.
Through 27 matches, Eckerman leads the No. 1 Longhorns with 4.18 kills per set, 0.37 aces per set and 4.77 points per set. Webster is second on the team with 3.46 kills per set at a clip of .287, and Allison is averaging 8.07 assists per set. Bell and McCage are adding 1.31 and 1.27 blocks per set, respectively.
