Canisius’ Simmons and Long, Rider’s Romano Claim First Volleyball Weekly Awards of 2019
Canisius’ Simmons and Long, Rider’s Romano Claim First Volleyball Weekly Awards of 2019
Player of the Week
Leah Simmons, Canisius
Sr., Abington, PA/Abington
Leah Simmons finished the first weekend of the season by recording 39 kills over three matches at a .308 hitting clip, also racking up 10 total blocks for the Golden Griffins. The senior opened the season by putting down nine kills at a .474 hitting percentage against Sacramento State to go with two block assists. The Abington, Pennsylvania, native then led the Griffs with 17 kills, an assist, three digs, a solo block and three block assists in a win over Nevada. The middle hitter ended the weekend by pounding down 13 kills in a win against CSU Bakersfield, adding on two aces, four digs and four block assists. In all, Simmons totaled 3.00 kills per set and 0.77 blocks per set.
Libero of the Week
Bree Long, Canisius
Fr., Temperance, MI/Bedford
Bree Long opened her collegiate career with 61 digs and 14 assists over her first three contests with Canisius, helping the team to two wins. A native of Temperance, Michigan, Long tallied 17 digs in her debut at Sacramento State, the most for a Griff in their debut since Allyson Severyn in 2009, also registering three assists. The freshman then recorded 24 digs, eight assists and an ace in the win over Nevada, and responded again with 20 digs, three assists and three aces in the Blue and Gold's win against CSU Bakersfield. Long averaged 4.69 digs per set and 1.08 assists per set.
Rookie of the Week
Morgan Romano, Rider
Fr., Oviedo, FL/Hagerty
Freshman Morgan Romano had a stellar debut for the Broncs last weekend. She averaged 3.73 kills per set, 2.27 digs per set and was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Georgetown Invitational. Romano had 11 or more kills in all four of Rider's matches and she recorded her first career double-double thanks to a 15-kill, 12-dig performance in a three-set match versus Georgetown. She ended the week with 17 kills, eight digs and four block assists in a four-set contest against Sacred Heart.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 39
th year of competition during the 2019-20 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.