Murray State’s Scottie Ingram was selected as the 2014 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year while Eastern Kentucky’s Dena Ott earned Defensive Player of the Year honors as voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. Belmont’s Arianna Person was named the Freshman of the Year while Coach of the Year honors went to Murray State’s David Schwepker.
Ingram, a sophomore outside hitter from Solsberry, Ind., leads the league with 3.76 kills per set this year. The All-OVC First Team selection ranked third in the conference with 4.06 points per set while finishing the regular-season 10th with a .273 attack percentage. She also led the league with 4.57 kills per set in OVC action. She has reached double-digits in kills 20 times so far this year, including her last five matches. She finished the regular-season with 262 digs and racked up 13 double-doubles. She becomes the second Racer to earn OVC Player of the Year honors joining Sarah Dearworth who won the award in 1994.
A senior defensive specialist from Wauconda, Ill., Ott ranks fifth in the nation with a league-leading 643 total digs so far this year. She is second in the OVC with 5.06 digs per set. She recently became Eastern Kentucky’s all-time digs leader and moved up to second on the league’s all-time list with 2,484 career digs. The first team All-OVC pick, reached double figures in digs in all but two matches this season, hitting the 30-plus mark twice. She becomes the second different Colonel to win Defensive Player of the Year honors joining Brittany Nobilio who won the award in 2004, 2005 and 2007.
Person, a freshman outside hitter from Lenexa, Kan., led all OVC freshman with 3.27 kills per set in the regular-season to rank 7th overall in the league. She was also fifth in the OVC with 0.32 services aces per set. Person, who led the team with 314 kills while ranking second with 300 digs, has registered 16 double-doubles this year. In addition to being named the Freshman of the Year, Person was selected to the All-OVC First Team and All-Newcomer Team. She is the first Bruin to receive the honor.
Schwepker earns his first Coach of the Year honor after leading his team to a 14-2 league mark and a 23-5 overall record en route to their first OVC Regular Season title. Murray State was a perfect 9-0 at home this season. The Racers lead the league in hitting percentage (.257), assists per set (13.21), kills per set (14.26) and digs per set (17.11) while ranking third with 1.36 services aces per set. Murray State enters the tournament having won 12 of its last 13 matches. Schwepker is the second Racer coach to earn this honor joining Brenda Bowlin who won the award in 1994.
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
The 2014 14-member All-OVC team includes one individual who received postseason honors last year. Joining Ingram, Person and Ott on the team are Eastern Illinois junior Marah Bradbury (Decatur, Ind.) and junior Abby Saalfrank (Hoagland, Ind.); Murray State junior Sam Bedard (Breese, Ill.) and junior Taylor Olden (Lincoln, Ill.); Austin Peay senior Jada Stotts (Hoffman Estates, Ill.); Belmont senior Alex Martin (Ooltewah, Tenn.); Eastern Kentucky senior Alexis Plagens (Strongsville, Ohio); Jacksonville State senior Nicole Merget (Canton, Mich.); Southeast Missouri junior Taylor Masterson (Chesterfield, Mo.); SIUE junior Kristen Torre (Highland, Ill.); and Tennessee Tech junior Cody Dodd (Cookeville, Tenn.)
Along with Person, earning All-Newcomer honors are Austin Peay freshman Ashley Slay (Nashville, Tenn.); Belmont redshirt freshman Emma Price (Fort Mill, S.C.); Eastern Illinois freshman Allie Hueston (Anderson, Ind.); Jacksonville State freshman Allyson Zuhlke (Tomball, Texas); Southeast Missouri freshman Nzingha Clarke (O’Fallon, Ill.); and Tennessee Tech freshman Kellie Williams (Charlotte, N.C.)
2014 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
Alexis Plagens, Eastern Kentucky
Sam Bedard, Murray State
Arianna Person, Belmont
Jada Stotts, Austin Peay
Kristen Torre, SIUE
Taylor Masterson, Southeast Missouri
Alex Martin, Belmont
Taylor Olden, Murray State
Marah Bradbury, Eastern Illinois
Dena Ott, Eastern Kentucky
Abby Saalfrank, Eastern Illinois
Nicole Merget, Jacksonville State
OVC Player of the Year: Scottie Ingram, Murray State
OVC Freshman of the Year: Arianna Person, Belmont
OVC Defensive Player of the Year: Dena Ott, Eastern Kentucky
OVC Coach of the Year: David Schwepker, Murray State
ALL-NEWCOMER
Arianna Person, Belmont
Emma Price, Belmont
Allyson Zuhlke, Jacksonville State
Allie Hueston, Eastern Illinois
Kellie Williams, Tennessee Tech
Nzingha Clarke, Southeast Missouri
Ashley Slay, Austin Peay