LANCASTER, Pa. - The Atlantic East Conference announced the Women's Volleyball All-Conference teams and major awards on Tuesday, which are voted on by the conference coaching staff. This season four schools collected major honors.

Neumann senior Regan Hickey was named Player of the Year, while teammate Dani Smith took home Specialist of the Year recognition. The duo led the Knights to a second place regular season finish with a 5-1 record in Atlantic East play.

In conference play Hickey led the conference with four kills per set and finished second with .8 service aces per set. Throughout the full season the senior tallied 367 kills in 27 matches, which averaged 3.6 per set while also adding 3.45 digs per set to her stat line.

Smith had an incredible season for the Knights. The junior currently ranks 42nd across all of Division III with 9.19 assists per set with 933 throughout the season. The setter also contributed 42 service aces and 259 digs throughout the 27 match season. This averaged to 2.54 digs per set.

Rookie of the Year honors went to Marywood’s Gianna Norton. The first year was a big impact player throughout her rookie campaign. She led the Atlantic East with 4.93 digs per set tallying 552 during the season. Norton also picked up 43 service aces during the Pacers 32 matches.

The Atlantic East Elite 20 Award is given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA competing at the final site of the championship and finishing in the top two teams. This year's award winner for women’s volleyball is Marymount junior Katee Stromberg who maintains a 4.0 in biochemistry.

Gwynedd Mercy was awarded Coaching Staff of the Year after posting a 12-16 overall record and 3-2 record in Atlantic East matches. The Griffins hosted their first Atlantic East playoff contest after their highest regular season finish of third. They followed that winning a first round matchup in the tournament. The coaching staff is led by first year head coach Lauren Yancer and assisted by Nick Paci.
 
The full All-Conference honorees can be found below:
 
Player of the Year: Regan Hickey, Neumann
Specialty Player of the Year: Dani Smith, Neumann
Rookie of the Year: Gianna Norton, Marywood 
Elite 20 Winner: Katee Stromberg, Marymount
Coaching Staff of the Year: Gwynedd Mercy

First Team
Ashley Brown, Gwynedd Mercy 
Kaitlyn Doyle, Marymount 
Lauren Garvey, Neumann 
Regan Hickey, Neumann 
Myia Jeter, Marymount 
Poppy Skjonnemand, Centenary 
Dani Smith, Neumann

Second Team
Claudia Bournazel, Neumann
Mya Bowers, Marymount
Alexis Franklin, Marymount
Ayanna Gaston, Gwynedd Mercy
Mikayla Meek, Marywood
Gianna Norton, Marywood
Bria Purnell, Gwynedd Mercy

ABOUT ATLANTIC EAST
The Atlantic East Conference is a member of NCAA Division III comprising seven institutions in a three-state area - Cabrini, Gwynedd Mercy, Immaculata, Marywood and Neumann Universities in Pennsylvania; Centenary University in New Jersey, and Marymount University in Virginia. 
 
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