EDISON, NJ (Dec.5, 2023)- Two Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Volleyball players were honored by the American Volleyball Coaches Association today. Iona's Hope Matschner and Marist's Sasha van der Merwe have been awarded with AVCA East Coast All-Region Honorable Mention honors. Both Matscher and van der Merwe recieved honorable mention honors in 2022 as well. 

At the conclusion of the 2023 season, van der Merwe led the Red Foxes in several major categories, earning various conference recognitions for her efforts. She led the team in kills with 458, points with 515.5, kills per set with 3.95, points per set with 4.44 and digs with 275. In the 2023 season, van der Merwe was selected as MAAC Player of the Year, was voted MAAC Player of the week three times and was named to the MAAC All-Academic Team.

Matschner finished the 2023 season leading the MAAC in digs with an average 6.35 per set. At the conclusion of the regular season, Matschner led the nation in digs, with a NCAA-high of 688 total digs. Awarded the honor of 2023 MAAC Libero of the Year, an honor she also won in 2022, Hope was also voted MAAC Libero of the Week seven times and was named to the MAAC All-Academic Team.

There are 14 All-Region team members and additional honorable mention selections for each of the 10 regions selected by the AVCA. The regions also selected a Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, and Coach of the Year for 2023. 

Student-athletes on the East Coast All-Region and Honorable Mention teams come from the following conferences in addition to the MAAC: ACC, Big East, America East, and NEC.

The American Volleyball Coaches Association awards come from the top 100 college coaches who vote on four all-region teams.

AVCA Regional Awards: https://www.avca.org/award/2023-avca-division-i-womens-regional-awards/

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 43rd year of competition during the 2023-24 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College. Merrimack College and Sacred Heart University will join the MAAC as full members in the 2024-25 academic year, expanding the conference to 13 institutions.
 
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