Mont Alto Captures 2nd Straight USCAA Vollleyball National Championship

LEMONT FURNACE, Pa. - Penn State Mont Alto captured its second consecutive United States Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Volleyball National Championship on Saturday, toppling Kent State Tuscarawas 3-1 in the final.

PSUAC West Division Player of the Year Gracie Vaughn was named tournament MVP while teammates Kylie Denlinger and Leslie Huckle made the All-Tournament Team. Vaughn finished the championship match with 11 kills and five blocks, while Huckle finished with a game-high 20 kills to lead Mont Alto to the championship.

Mont Alto lost its first set of the championship to Kent State Tuscarawas, their familiar pool play foe from Thursday. In that match, Mont Alto trailed after losing the first two sets before roaring back for a 3-2 win, including a razor thin 15-13 win in each team's first match of the tournament in pool play. Much like that first match, Mont Alto recovered and took the next three sets in the championship for the 3-1 win.

Mont Alto also beat Yankee Conference champion Central Maine CC to win Pool A and advance to the semifinals. There, they would meet their PSUAC rivals Penn State York in a PSUAC Championship rematch, and also a rematch of last season's USCAA National Championship match. Mont Alto sent York to the third place game with a resounding 3-0 win as Vaughn led the attack with 17 kills.

The PSUAC was represented by three teams in the field, with York winning the third place match over host, and 2019 USCAA Volleyball National Champions, Penn State Fayette.

More information about the USCAA Volleyball National Championships can be found on its Fall Championships website.