Cardinals Land Four on Preseason All-ACC, Team Picked Second
August 20, 2021 | Women's Volleyball
Dilfer, Jones, Stevenson and DeBeer headline All-ACC list
The University of Louisville volleyball team has been ranked second in the ACC Preseason Poll, with Anna Stevenson, Tori Dilfer, Anna DeBeer and Aiko Jones being named to the 2021 Preseason All-ACC team.
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As an AVCA Second Team All-American, Stevenson was Named to the All-East Region First Team as well. Stevenson has established herself as one of Louisville's most potent weapons, both offensively and defensively. She played in every set and had 145 kills, hits .406, with 10 aces, 26 digs and 79 blocks. She was named to the All-ACC First Team. She ranked No. 10 in the nation in hitting percentage and No. 34 in blocks.
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Dilfer, who was named AVCA Third Team All-American as well as First Team All-East region, was the ACC Setter of the Year. She led the ACC and ranks among the top 20 in the NCAA in assists per set with 10.93. The senior from Los Gatos, California, keys a Louisville offense that is among the nation's leaders in hitting percentage (13th, .285) and kills per set (21st, 14.08). She has amassed 581 assists with 12 aces and 32 blocks.
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 As an AVCA HM All-American, DeBeer was also named ACC Freshman of the Year, the East Region Freshman of the Year, as well as to the All-East Region First Team. The native of Louisville, Kentucky, ranks near the top of the ACC in kills per set with 3.16. The rookie outside hitter has a .255 hitting percentage and averages 1.50 digs per set. She led the Cardinals in kills with 174 and added 25 blocks and 10 aces.
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Aiko Jones was named First Team All-ACC and was an ACC Player of the Week. She was named to the AVCA All-East Region's first team. She played in all 61 sets and started in all 18 matches. She led the team with 168 kills, hitting .237. Her best match came against Syracuse when she had 17 kills. She had three aces each against Miami, Pitt and NC State. She had seven blocks at Boston College. Against San Diego, she had five kills, six digs and three blocks. In the Sweet Sixteen match with Washington, she had 10 kills, two aces, three digs and five blocks. An outstanding student, Aiko was named to the Dean's List (Fall 2018, Spring 2019) and was a Red and Black Scholar (Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2020).Â
The Cardinals led the league with four preseason All-ACC selections, while Pitt had three. Georgia Tech, Notre Dame and Syracuse each placed two players on the team, and Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Miami and NC State each had one.
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Four ACC volleyball teams are ranked in preseason AVCA Top 25 Poll, led by No. 9 Pitt. Louisville checked in at No. 13, followed by No. 24 Georgia Tech and No. 25 Notre Dame.
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ACC volleyball returns to its traditional league format this season, with each team playing 18 league matches. Play begins on Friday, Aug. 27 with the first conference match scheduled for Sept. 22 between Syracuse and Boston College.
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2021 ACC Volleyball Preseason All-ACC Team
Camryn Hannah, Clemson, So., RS/OH
Mackenzie Cole, Duke, Sr., DS/L
Emma Clothier, Florida State, Jr., MB
Julia Bergmann, Georgia Tech, Jr., OH
Mariana Brambilla, Georgia Tech, Sr., OH
Anna DeBeer, Louisville, So., OH
Tori Dilfer, Louisville, Gr., S
Aiko Jones, Louisville, Jr., OPP
Anna Stevenson, Louisville, Gr., MB
Savannah Vach, Miami, Jr., S
Melissa Evans, NC State, Gr., OPP
Charley Niego, Notre Dame, Sr., OH
Zoe Nunez, Notre Dame, Sr., S
Serena Gray, Pitt, Sr., MB
Kayla Lund, Pitt, Gr., OH
Chinaza Ndee, Pitt, Gr., RS/MB
Marina Markova, Syracuse, Jr., MB
Polina Shemanova, Syracuse, Sr., OH
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2021 ACC Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
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As an AVCA Second Team All-American, Stevenson was Named to the All-East Region First Team as well. Stevenson has established herself as one of Louisville's most potent weapons, both offensively and defensively. She played in every set and had 145 kills, hits .406, with 10 aces, 26 digs and 79 blocks. She was named to the All-ACC First Team. She ranked No. 10 in the nation in hitting percentage and No. 34 in blocks.
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Dilfer, who was named AVCA Third Team All-American as well as First Team All-East region, was the ACC Setter of the Year. She led the ACC and ranks among the top 20 in the NCAA in assists per set with 10.93. The senior from Los Gatos, California, keys a Louisville offense that is among the nation's leaders in hitting percentage (13th, .285) and kills per set (21st, 14.08). She has amassed 581 assists with 12 aces and 32 blocks.
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 As an AVCA HM All-American, DeBeer was also named ACC Freshman of the Year, the East Region Freshman of the Year, as well as to the All-East Region First Team. The native of Louisville, Kentucky, ranks near the top of the ACC in kills per set with 3.16. The rookie outside hitter has a .255 hitting percentage and averages 1.50 digs per set. She led the Cardinals in kills with 174 and added 25 blocks and 10 aces.
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Aiko Jones was named First Team All-ACC and was an ACC Player of the Week. She was named to the AVCA All-East Region's first team. She played in all 61 sets and started in all 18 matches. She led the team with 168 kills, hitting .237. Her best match came against Syracuse when she had 17 kills. She had three aces each against Miami, Pitt and NC State. She had seven blocks at Boston College. Against San Diego, she had five kills, six digs and three blocks. In the Sweet Sixteen match with Washington, she had 10 kills, two aces, three digs and five blocks. An outstanding student, Aiko was named to the Dean's List (Fall 2018, Spring 2019) and was a Red and Black Scholar (Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2020).Â
The Cardinals led the league with four preseason All-ACC selections, while Pitt had three. Georgia Tech, Notre Dame and Syracuse each placed two players on the team, and Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Miami and NC State each had one.
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Four ACC volleyball teams are ranked in preseason AVCA Top 25 Poll, led by No. 9 Pitt. Louisville checked in at No. 13, followed by No. 24 Georgia Tech and No. 25 Notre Dame.
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ACC volleyball returns to its traditional league format this season, with each team playing 18 league matches. Play begins on Friday, Aug. 27 with the first conference match scheduled for Sept. 22 between Syracuse and Boston College.
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2021 ACC Volleyball Preseason All-ACC Team
Camryn Hannah, Clemson, So., RS/OH
Mackenzie Cole, Duke, Sr., DS/L
Emma Clothier, Florida State, Jr., MB
Julia Bergmann, Georgia Tech, Jr., OH
Mariana Brambilla, Georgia Tech, Sr., OH
Anna DeBeer, Louisville, So., OH
Tori Dilfer, Louisville, Gr., S
Aiko Jones, Louisville, Jr., OPP
Anna Stevenson, Louisville, Gr., MB
Savannah Vach, Miami, Jr., S
Melissa Evans, NC State, Gr., OPP
Charley Niego, Notre Dame, Sr., OH
Zoe Nunez, Notre Dame, Sr., S
Serena Gray, Pitt, Sr., MB
Kayla Lund, Pitt, Gr., OH
Chinaza Ndee, Pitt, Gr., RS/MB
Marina Markova, Syracuse, Jr., MB
Polina Shemanova, Syracuse, Sr., OH
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2021 ACC Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
- Pitt (195 points, 13 first-place votes)
- Louisville (182 points, two first-place votes)
- Georgia Tech (168 points)
- Notre Dame (159 points)
- Florida State (135 points)
- Syracuse (127 points)
- North Carolina (113 points)
- Miami (106 points)
- Duke (96 points)
- NC State (92 points)
- Clemson (62 points)
- Boston College (44 points)
- Virginia Tech (38 points)
- Wake Forest (33 points)
- Virginia (25 points)
Players Mentioned
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