
DeBeer And Scott Win ACC Major Awards, Cards Place Six on All-ACC Lists
November 27, 2023 | Women's Volleyball
LOUISVILLE, Ky.  – The Atlantic Coast Conference announced this year's awards in volleyball as determined by a vote of the league's 15 head coaches and outside hitters Anna DeBeer of Louisville shared ACC Player of the Year honors with Audrey Koenig of Florida State while UofL's libero Elena Scott was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. DeBeer and Scott were also joined by Charitie Luper on the ACC's First Team.
Cardinal opposite Aiko Jones, setter Elle Glock and middle blocker Cara Cresse were named to the All-ACC Second team as well.Â
Â
Pitt's Rachel Fairbanks was tabbed the ACC Setter of the Year and the Panthers' Olivia Babcock was voted the ACC Freshman of the Year and FSU's Chris Poole was named the ACC Coach of the Year for the third time in his career and for the first time since 2011.
Â
DeBeer totaled 216 kills, averaging 3.32 per set in conference play, to guide Louisville to a No. 2 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. She hit .250 and recorded a .406 kill percentage in her junior campaign. The Louisville, Kentucky, native posted a career-high 29 kills in a gritty five-set thriller against Pitt on November 18 – the most kills in a five-set ACC game this season. She became a member of Louisville's 1,000-kill club this season, while adding 59 digs, 23 service aces, 15 blocks and 12 assists. DeBeer earned three ACC Offensive Player of the Week awards this season.
Â
Scott led the ACC with 4.43 digs per set and totaled 288 digs in conference play. The three-time ACC Defensive Player of the Week had seven matches with 20 or more digs this season. The junior libero recorded her 1,000th dig this year and posted the second-most digs in an ACC match this season with 29. She added 73 assists, served 21 aces, and tallied a pair of kills to push Louisville to their conference-leading 33rd appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Â
Pitt had eight student-athletes on the All-ACC teams, followed by Louisville with six, while Florida State had five. Ten of the league's 15 teams are represented across the All-ACC teams.
Â
Five ACC volleyball teams earned spots in the 2023 NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship, announced Sunday night on the NCAA Selection Show on ESPN, highlighted by ACC Co-Champion Pitt earning a No. 1 seed.
Â
2023 ACC Volleyball Awards
Co-Player of the Year:Â Anna DeBeer, Louisville & Audrey Koenig, Florida State
Defensive Player of the Year:Â Elena Scott, Louisville
Setter of the Year:Â Rachel Fairbanks, Pitt
Freshman of the Year:Â Olivia Babcock, Pitt
Coach of the Year:Â Chris Poole, Florida State
Â
All-ACC First Team
Gracie Johnson**, Duke, Gr., OH
Audrey Koenig^***, Florida State, Jr., OH
Khori Louis***, Florida State, Jr., MB
Bianca Bertolino***, Georgia Tech, Jr., OH
Tamara Otene, Georgia Tech, Sr., OH
Anna DeBeer, Louisville, Sr., OH
Charitie Luper, Louisville, Jr., OH
Elena Scott***, Louisville, Jr., L
Grace Lopez, Miami, Fr., OH
Savannah Vach*****, Miami, Gr., S
Mabrey Shaffmaster***, North Carolina, Jr., OH
Olivia Babcock^, Pitt, Fr., RS
Rachel Fairbanks**, Pitt, Jr., S
Torrey Stafford, Pitt, Fr., OH
Â
All-ACC Second Team
Kerry Keefe**, Duke, So., OH
Jess Robinson, Duke, Gr., MB
Kiari Robey, Florida State, Jr., MB
Cara Cresse, Louisville, Jr., MB
Elle Glock, Louisville, RSo., S
Aiko Jones***, Louisville, Gr., Opp.
Ava Brizard**, NC State, So., OH
Amanda Rice, NC State, Jr., Opp.
Sydney Palazzolo, Notre Dame, Jr., OH
Flormarie Heredia Colon**, Miami, So., OH
Janice Leao, Miami, Gr., MB
Emmy Klika, Pitt, Jr., L/DS
Chiamaka Nwokolo**, Pitt, Gr., MB
Emma Monks, Pitt, Gr., MB
Valeria Vazquez Gomez**, Pitt, Gr., OH
*15 on second team due to a tie in voting
Â
All-Freshman Team
Kyleene Filimaua, Florida State, L
Kenna Phelan, Florida State, S
Larissa Mendes, Georgia Tech, Opp.
Heloise Soares, Georgia Tech, S
Grace Lopez, Miami, OH
Sydney Nolan, North Carolina, MB
Olivia Babcock, Pitt, RS
Torrey Stafford, Pitt, OH
Ava Carney, Wake Forest, OH
Â
^ denotes unanimous first-team selection
* denotes number of career All-ACC honors
Cardinal opposite Aiko Jones, setter Elle Glock and middle blocker Cara Cresse were named to the All-ACC Second team as well.Â
Â
Pitt's Rachel Fairbanks was tabbed the ACC Setter of the Year and the Panthers' Olivia Babcock was voted the ACC Freshman of the Year and FSU's Chris Poole was named the ACC Coach of the Year for the third time in his career and for the first time since 2011.
Â
DeBeer totaled 216 kills, averaging 3.32 per set in conference play, to guide Louisville to a No. 2 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. She hit .250 and recorded a .406 kill percentage in her junior campaign. The Louisville, Kentucky, native posted a career-high 29 kills in a gritty five-set thriller against Pitt on November 18 – the most kills in a five-set ACC game this season. She became a member of Louisville's 1,000-kill club this season, while adding 59 digs, 23 service aces, 15 blocks and 12 assists. DeBeer earned three ACC Offensive Player of the Week awards this season.
Â
Scott led the ACC with 4.43 digs per set and totaled 288 digs in conference play. The three-time ACC Defensive Player of the Week had seven matches with 20 or more digs this season. The junior libero recorded her 1,000th dig this year and posted the second-most digs in an ACC match this season with 29. She added 73 assists, served 21 aces, and tallied a pair of kills to push Louisville to their conference-leading 33rd appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Â
Pitt had eight student-athletes on the All-ACC teams, followed by Louisville with six, while Florida State had five. Ten of the league's 15 teams are represented across the All-ACC teams.
Â
Five ACC volleyball teams earned spots in the 2023 NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship, announced Sunday night on the NCAA Selection Show on ESPN, highlighted by ACC Co-Champion Pitt earning a No. 1 seed.
Â
2023 ACC Volleyball Awards
Co-Player of the Year:Â Anna DeBeer, Louisville & Audrey Koenig, Florida State
Defensive Player of the Year:Â Elena Scott, Louisville
Setter of the Year:Â Rachel Fairbanks, Pitt
Freshman of the Year:Â Olivia Babcock, Pitt
Coach of the Year:Â Chris Poole, Florida State
Â
All-ACC First Team
Gracie Johnson**, Duke, Gr., OH
Audrey Koenig^***, Florida State, Jr., OH
Khori Louis***, Florida State, Jr., MB
Bianca Bertolino***, Georgia Tech, Jr., OH
Tamara Otene, Georgia Tech, Sr., OH
Anna DeBeer, Louisville, Sr., OH
Charitie Luper, Louisville, Jr., OH
Elena Scott***, Louisville, Jr., L
Grace Lopez, Miami, Fr., OH
Savannah Vach*****, Miami, Gr., S
Mabrey Shaffmaster***, North Carolina, Jr., OH
Olivia Babcock^, Pitt, Fr., RS
Rachel Fairbanks**, Pitt, Jr., S
Torrey Stafford, Pitt, Fr., OH
Â
All-ACC Second Team
Kerry Keefe**, Duke, So., OH
Jess Robinson, Duke, Gr., MB
Kiari Robey, Florida State, Jr., MB
Cara Cresse, Louisville, Jr., MB
Elle Glock, Louisville, RSo., S
Aiko Jones***, Louisville, Gr., Opp.
Ava Brizard**, NC State, So., OH
Amanda Rice, NC State, Jr., Opp.
Sydney Palazzolo, Notre Dame, Jr., OH
Flormarie Heredia Colon**, Miami, So., OH
Janice Leao, Miami, Gr., MB
Emmy Klika, Pitt, Jr., L/DS
Chiamaka Nwokolo**, Pitt, Gr., MB
Emma Monks, Pitt, Gr., MB
Valeria Vazquez Gomez**, Pitt, Gr., OH
*15 on second team due to a tie in voting
Â
All-Freshman Team
Kyleene Filimaua, Florida State, L
Kenna Phelan, Florida State, S
Larissa Mendes, Georgia Tech, Opp.
Heloise Soares, Georgia Tech, S
Grace Lopez, Miami, OH
Sydney Nolan, North Carolina, MB
Olivia Babcock, Pitt, RS
Torrey Stafford, Pitt, OH
Ava Carney, Wake Forest, OH
Â
^ denotes unanimous first-team selection
* denotes number of career All-ACC honors
Players Mentioned
VB: Dan Meske, Chloe Chicoine, Payton Petersen Postgame vs. Marquette
Sunday, December 07
VB: Highlights vs Marquette
Sunday, December 07
VB: Highlights vs Loyola Chicago
Saturday, December 06
VB: Dan Meske, Cara Cresse, Payton Petersen Postgame Presser vs. Loyola Chicago
Saturday, December 06













