PHOTO GALLERY
Murray State’s Scottie Ingram was selected as the 2015 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year while Morehead State’s Merideth Jewell earned Freshman of the Year honors as voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. Tennessee State’s Madison Halterman was named the Defensive Player of the Year while Murray State’s Sam Bedard won the inaugural Setter of the Year award. OVC Coach of the Year honors went to the Racers’ David Schwepker.
Ingram, a junior outside hitter from Solsberry, Ind., ranks in the league’s top five with 3.77 kills per set while averaging 4.06 kills per set in league action to finish the regular-season second. In OVC play, the All-OVC selection recorded 3.12 digs per set, a .262 hitting percentage, 16 service aces and 16 blocks. She has registered 11 double-doubles so far this season, including six in Conference matches. Ingram reached double-digits in kills 20 times this season, hitting the 20-plus kill mark four times. It marks Ingram’s second straight OVC Player of the Year honor becoming just the second Racer to win the award joining Sarah Dearworth who earned the honor in 1994.
A freshman outside hitter from Mt. Washington, Ky., Jewell led all OVC freshmen with 3.95 kills per set to rank second overall in the league. She was also second in the OVC with 4.57 points per set. The All-OVC and All-Newcomer pick recorded 36 service aces, 263 digs and 49 blocks this year. She registered 25 double-digit kills outings and racked up 12 double-doubles this season. In OVC play, Jewell recorded 212 kills in 60 sets for a 2.53 kills per set average. Jewell becomes the fifth Eagle to earn Freshman of the Year honors.
Halterman, a senior libero from Omaha, Neb., ranks 35th in the nation with a league-leading 4.95 digs per set. Her 545 total digs this year is 29th in the NCAA. The All-OVC pick reached double-digit digs in all but three matches this season, including hitting the 30-plus mark three times. She registered a season-best 32 digs versus Tennessee Tech. In OVC action, Halterman recorded 360 digs over 68 sets for a 5.29 per set average. She becomes the first Tiger to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Bedard, a senior from Breese, Ill., wins the first ever OVC Setter of the Year award. She leads the league and ranks 15th in the nation with 11.39 assists per set. The All-OVC selection has dished out 1,025 assists this year with 613 coming in OVC action. She has also recorded 299 digs and 33 service aces. Bedard has registered 18 double-doubles so far this season.
Schwepker earns his second straight OVC Coach of the Year honor after leading his team to a 15-1 league mark and a 25-2 overall record en route to their second consecutive OVC Regular-Season crown. The Racers lead the nation in opponent hitting percentage as they have limited their opponents to a .120 clip this year. Murray State is also in the top 10 in the NCAA in service aces (1.78 saps), assists (13.74 aps) and kills (14.68 kps). The Racers also rank 18th in the nation with a league-leading 17.27 digs per set. Schwepker is the second Racer coach to earn this honor joining Brenda Bowlin who won the award in 1994.
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
The 2015 14-member All-OVC team includes five individuals who received postseason honors last year. Joining Ingram, Jewell, Halterman and Bedard on the team are: Belmont sophomore Ariana Person (Lenxa, Kan.) and redshirt sophomore Emma Price (Fort Mill, S.C.); Eastern Illinois sophomore Allie Hueston (Anderson, Ind.); Eastern Kentucky senior Rachel Vick (Bay Village, Ohio); Morehead State senior Hannah Sigala (Liberty Township, Ohio); Murray State redshirt junior Kristen Besselsen (St. Louis, Mo.); Southeast Missouri sophomore Nzingha Clark (O’Fallon, Ill.); SIUE senior Kristen Torre (Highland, Ill.); Tennessee State junior Chloe Watson (Kent. Wash.) and Tennessee Tech senior Cody Dodd (Cookeville, Tenn.)
Along with Jewell, earning All-Newcomer honors are Tennessee State junior Chloe Watson (Kent, Wash.) and freshman Zahria Graham (Sandy Springs, Ga.); Belmont redshirt freshman Alexa Nichols (Walton, Ky.); Eastern Illinois freshman Taylor Smith (Mattoon, Ill.); Eastern Kentucky freshman Chloe Rojas (St. Charles, Ill.); and UT Martin junior Kiah Cheatham (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
2015 All-Ohio Valley Conference Volleyball Teams
(voted on by the league’s head volleyball coaches and sports information directors)
Scottie Ingram, Murray State*
Cody Dodd, Tennessee Tech*
Kristen Torre, SIUE*
Arianna Person, Belmont*
Sam Bedard, Murray State*
Allie Hueston, Eastern Illinois
Chloe Watson, Tennessee State
Nzingha Clark, Southeast Missouri
Merideth Jewell, Morehead State
Madison Halterman, Tennessee State
Kristen Besselsen, Murray State
Emma Price, Belmont
Hannah Sigala, Morehead State
Rachel Vick, Eastern Kentucky
OVC Player of the Year: Scottie Ingram, Murray State
OVC Freshman of the Year: Merideth Jewell, Morehead State
OVC Defensive Player of the Year: Madison Halterman, Tennessee State
OVC Setter of the Year: Sam Bedard, Murray State
OVC Coach of the Year: David Schwepker, Murray State
ALL-NEWCOMER
Merideth Jewell, Morehead State
Chloe Watson, Tennessee State
Taylor Smith, Eastern Illinois
Kiah Cheatham, UT Martin
Alexa Nichols, Belmont
Chloe Rojas, Eastern Kentucky
Zahria Graham, Tennessee State
* - All-OVC selection in 2014