ATLANTA, Ga. (November 7, 2023) – Covenant’s senior middle hitter has been voted the 2023 CCS Player of the Year by the conference’s head coaches, announced today by the league office. Piedmont’s senior libero/defensive specialist Taylor Herrmann and freshman outside hitter Kaylee Ashcraft have been voted the 2023 CCS Libero of the Year and Freshman of the Year, respectively. Covenant’s Head Coach Stephanie Wharton was voted Coach of the Year.
Player of the Year | Emma Kalbfleisch, Covenant
Emma Kalbfleisch has emerged as a force to be reckoned with, showcasing her offensive prowess throughout the season. Her impressive statistics speak for themselves: leading the CCS with 347 kills and a remarkable .374 hitting percentage, averaging 3.27 kills per set, and amassing 446.5 points, topping the conference. Kalbfleisch's versatility is evident as she ranks in the top-10 in various categories, including total blocks with 77 and service aces with 43. In addition, she's contributed 205 digs this season and has earned three CCS weekly awards.
Libero of the Year | Taylor Herrmann, Piedmont
Taylor Herrmann's remarkable defensive skills have earned her the CCS Defensive Player of the Week title three times this season. Leading both the conference and the Lions, Herrmann boasts a total of 500 digs and averages an impressive 4.85 digs per set.
Freshman of the Year | Kaylee Ashcraft, Piedmont
Kaylee Ashcraft, a standout freshman hailing from Georgia, has made a significant impact in her debut season. Notably, she ranks second nationally in total service aces with 84 this season. Her stellar performance has also earned her the Rookie of the Week title three times.
Coach of the Year | Stephanie Wharton, Covenant
In just her second season as head coach, Stephanie Wharton has masterfully guided Covenant to remarkable achievements. The team boasts a 31-2 record for the year, reaching national recognition by the AVCA for the first time in program history. Covenant's undefeated conference regular season, loss of only three sets in 16 league games, record-breaking 31 wins, and a historic victory over No. 5 Emory in October stands as a testament to Coach Wharton's leadership.
Superlative Awards
Player of the Year – Emma Kalbfleisch, Covenant
Libero of the Year – Taylor Herrmann, Piedmont
Freshman of the Year – Kaylee Ashcraft, Piedmont
Coach of the Year – Stephanie Wharton, Covenant
CCS Women’s Volleyball All-Conference
First Team
| Name |
Institution |
Class |
Position |
Hometown |
| Jenna Ash |
Piedmont |
Senior |
Outside/Right Side Hitter |
Cleveland, Ga. |
| Rachel Bartlett |
Covenant |
Senior |
Setter |
Dover, Fla. |
| Emma Kalbfleisch |
Covenant |
Senior |
Middle Hitter |
Fort Worth, Texas |
| Hannah Haerer |
Covenant |
Junior |
Middle Hitter |
DeFuniak Springs, Fla. |
| Taylor Herrmann |
Piedmont |
Senior |
Libero/Defensive Specialist |
Roswell, Ga. |
| Kaylee Ashcraft |
Piedmont |
Freshman |
Outside Hitter |
Blairsville, Ga. |
| Kyla Bailey |
Covenant |
Senior |
Outside Hitter |
St. Augustine, Fla. |
| Brenda Davila |
Berea |
Senior |
Middle Hitter |
San Antonio, Texas |
| Ashlen Janowski |
Huntingdon |
Junior |
Outside/Right Side Hitter |
Mobile, Ala. |
| Kennedy Chambers |
Huntingdon |
Senior |
Middle Hitter |
Pelham, Ala. |
Second Team
| Name |
Institution |
Class |
Position |
Hometown |
| Reese Bailey |
Maryville |
Junior |
Middle Hitter |
Brentwood, Tenn. |
| Addie Smith |
Maryville |
Freshman |
Setter/Right Side Hitter |
Jonesborough, Tenn. |
| Julie Santana |
Berea |
Senior |
Right Side Hitter |
Channelview, Texas |
| Ally Sokolow |
Maryville |
Sophomore |
Defensive Specialist |
South Pasadena, Calif. |
| Landry Frisch |
Maryville |
Junior |
Outside Hitter |
Birmingham, Ala. |
| Vanessa Manzo |
Piedmont |
Junior |
Setter |
Goodyear, Ariz. |
| Kelsey Carman |
Covenant |
Junior |
Outside Hitter/Defensive Specialist |
Cleveland, Tenn. |
| Kenzie Brewster |
Maryville |
Junior |
Middle Hitter |
Old Hickory, Tenn. |
| Idymel Ayala Rivera |
Berea |
Junior |
Setter |
Vega Baja, Puerto Rico |
| Katie Hubbard |
Piedmont |
Sophomore |
Outside Hitter |
Aurora, Colo. |
Women’s Volleyball All-Sportsmanship Team
| Name |
Institution |
Class |
Position |
Hometown |
| Summer Davis |
Agnes Scott College |
Senior |
Outside/Right Side Hitter |
Atlanta, Ga. |
| Caitlin Torok |
Belhaven University |
Senior |
Outside/Right Side Hitter |
Huntsville, Ala. |
| Amanda Castro Diaz |
Berea College |
Senior |
Defensive Specialist |
Louisville, Ky. |
| Amber Snook |
Covenant College |
Sophomore |
Setter |
Arroyo Grande, Calif. |
| Eva Ellenburg |
Huntingdon College |
Junior |
Outside Hitter |
Lindale, Ga. |
| Meredith Orton |
LaGrange College |
Sophomore |
Right Side/Defensive Specialist |
Cartersville, Ga. |
| Ella Reyes |
Maryville College |
Freshman |
Setter |
Knoxville, Tenn. |
| Bryn White |
Piedmont University |
Junior |
Outside/Right Side Hitter |
Hermtiage, Tenn. |
| Janiya Simmons |
Wesleyan College |
Sophomore |
Right Side Hitter |
Riverdale, GA |