SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va., – Shepherd University volleyball athlete, Elyssia Smith, was named Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference’s 2019 freshman of the year in volleyball on Thursday, as the league announced its all-conference teams and yearly awards.
In addition to Smith’s award, three other Rams were named to all-PSAC teams, which are voted on by the coaches. Senior Peyton Lindblad was named all-conference first team while seniors Cambriea Hill and Imani Major earned second team honors.
Smith said the award took her by surprise.
“I just feel really blessed to have had amazing coaching and my very talented team because I couldn’t have done it without them,” Smith said.
Smith finished second on the team in total blocks with 96 and finished third in kills with 146.
Lindblad was listed on the all-PSAC first team, an honor she also earned last year in the Mountain East Conference.
“I’m just so thankful for my teammates, coaches, trainers and friends and family,” Lindblad said. “I would absolutely not be in this position without them.”
Lindblad led the team in kills with 410. She also tied for the team lead in aces with 54.
Hill earned a spot on the all-PSAC second team. This is her third all-conference honor in her career.
“Seeing how far I’ve come as a player since my freshmen year and how far the team has come as a whole genuinely makes me happy,” Hill said. “I’m thankful to have received that honor and it just keeps pushing me to work harder.”
Hill finished second on the team with 325 kills and posted a .216 hitting percentage.
Major earned second team all-conference honors for the second year in a row. She did it last season in the Mountain East.
“At the end of the day, individual awards are great,” Major said. “But I’m looking forward to pushing my season as far as I can with my team. This weekend, the focus is on the PSAC tournament, then regionals in a few weeks.”
Major led the team with 600 digs and won PSAC volleyball defensive player of the week twice during the season.
The lady Rams will travel to Gannon on Friday to compete in the semifinal of the 2019 PSAC Volleyball Championship. The match is set for 7:30 p.m.
