CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Southern Utah volleyball team just recently wrapped up one of their most successful seasons in program history, finishing 15-16 overall and 8-10 in Big Sky play.
The team made the Big Sky Volleyball Championship Tournament for the first time since 2015 and Shannon Webb was named Big Sky Newcomer of the Year and earned All-Conference Second Team honors after finishing the regular season second in the conference in kills, averaging 3.82 per set, and finishing second in points with 462 total points, averaging 4.09 points per set.
"Shannon had a greater role to play beyond her stats. Shannon's drive for perfection and postseason experience gave our team a window into a world that has long eluded this program. Shannon was a fixture in the volleyball offices each week: watching video, discussing team needs, and advocating for teammates," head coach Pete Hoyer said. "She has no idea how much I valued and appreciated those conversations."
Stacey Hone also earned recognition from the conference for her performance, being named to the Big Sky All-Conference Second Team. The junior finished second on the team with 368 total kills and a 3.30 kills per set average. She finished the regular season 10th in the Big Sky in terms of hitting percentage at .275.
"Her ability to smile, perform, and persevere in the most stressful and difficult moments is Stacey's greatest value as a teammate," Hoyer said. "Stacey is the teammate we all dream of having by our side in the best of times, but more importantly, in the worst of times. No matter the challenge, Stacey continued forward towards our goals, with a smile on her face."
Both athletes were given the Coaches Award at the End of the Year Banquet.
Corrin Peterson was named Most Valuable Player by her teammates and coaches at the banquet after stepping into a role that she was not expected to be in at the beginning of the season. Peterson played in 101 sets and racked up 1,054 assists as the starting setter for the Thunderbirds. The sophomore finished third in the Big Sky in assists, averaging 10.44 per set, and fourth in service aces, averaging .35 per set.
Peterson set a new single-game assist record in the team's 3-1 victory over Eastern Washington on November 23. She had 66 assists in the four-set match, the most in any match in SUU history.
"On many occasions in my long career, I have had to ask an athlete to step into a greater role for the good of the team, but never have I had an athlete rise to the occasion like Corrin did this season," Hoyer said. "Corrin chose SUU before she ever decided to become a Thunderbird volleyball player and her path to being our MVP this year came from her courage to transform from being a regular student to a Division I student-athlete."
Alexis Averett was given the Legacy Award, an award given to a senior that has left a lasting impression on the program.
Averett will leave Southern Utah as the career leader in assists with 2,762 assists over her four-year career. She also holds the third-highest mark for single-season assists with 1,030 in her junior season.
"Alexis has given it all to Southern Utah. She weathered the tough seasons and will be the first setter in the 10 years of modern SUU volleyball to graduate as a T-Bird," Hoyer said. "I am grateful that she chose to put her trust in us when we arrived in Cedar City to be her coaches. Her legacy will no doubt continue on through the younger teammates she has mentored."
Freshman Raegan Ashby was named Most Improved Player. She had 53 total blocks in 78 sets played on the season. Her nine blocks in the team's 3-1 win over Montana on October 10 are the third most in a match in SUU history.
"The end of the 2018 season was difficult, but we immediately set out to change the culture and build this program from the ground up. That week we received Raegan's recruiting video and there was no doubt about her ability to be a great college volleyball player," Hoyer said. "She scored a block and a kill the first two times she touched the ball and I can't wait to see what she does as she continues to learn and grow."
The Thunderbirds will now turn their attention to the 2020 offseason which will include new faces on the court and a spring season in March/April.
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