PSUAC Announces 2023 Volleyball All-Conference Awards
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State University Athletic Conference has announced its 2023 Volleyball All-Conference teams and award winners. Nearly 40 student-athletes and coaches earned recognition for their regular season accomplishments.
Penn State York's Jess Dunbar, the reigning East Division Player of the Year, earned the honor once again after finishing second in the PSUAC in kills and third in kills per set. Her counterpart in the West Division, Gracie Vaughn, earned her first Player of the Year recognition after leading the PSUAC in kills, kills per set, blocks and hitting percentage. Vaughn also finished second in blocks per set.
Joining Dunbar at the top of the East Division awards was teammate Jayda Simmons, who was named the East Division Specialist of the Year. Simmons finished third in the PSUAC in digs, primarily serving as the team's libero. Vaughn was also joined by teammates, as sisters Brooke and Kylie Denlinger were named West Division Co-Specialists of the Year. Brooke Denlinger led the PSUAC in digs with 452, while Kylie Denlinger was tops in the PSUAC with 932 assists, 380 more than the next closest challenger. Kylie Denlinger also led the PSUAC with 9.51 assists per set.
Rounding out the PSUAC specialty awards were Rookies of the Year Penn State Hazleton's Sophia Del Vacchio (East) and Mont Alto's Elizabeth Trella (West). Del Vacchio was also named to the PSUAC East Division First Team while Trella earned Second Team honors.
York's Keith Hartman was named Coach of the Year for the third straight year after sharing the award with Mont Alto's Randy Hood in 2022. Hartman led York to its second straight undefeated season in PSUAC play and an overall record of 21-4. Hartman's teams are 35-1 in PSUAC regular season competition during that stretch.
Full conference awards can be found at the link below. All-Conference awards are selected by coaches and administrators after nominations are submitted by each campus and based solely on regular season competition.