Florida volleyball’s conference play is dying down and while that means the postseason is approaching, it also means that Southeastern Conference honors are right around the corner.
So with that said, I am gracing the volleyball world with my picks for SEC Player of the Year, SEC Freshman of the Year, SEC Libero of the Year and, of course, SEC Coach of the Year.
SEC Player of the Year — Krystal Rivers, Alabama
Rivers has a story that is heart wrenching and proves the resilience of human beings. After being diagnosed and battling Hodgkins lymphoma — a type of cancer that affects the lymph nodes — in January, she returned to Alabama as a redshirt sophomore and has excelled this season.
So far, she leads the Alabama squad in kills per set (4.19) and service aces (32). She’s 37th in the NCAA and second in the SEC for kills per set.
Offensively, Rivers is a powerhouse. Between her amazing recovery and kicking ass on the court, she’s definitely my pick for SEC player of the year.
SEC Freshman of the Year — Rhamat Alhassan, Florida
There isn’t a freshman that stands out in the SEC the way Alhassan does. So far this season, she leads Florida with a .466 hitting percentage (good enough for second in the nation) and 1.36 blocks per set.
The 6-foot-4 freshman has received five player-of-the-week type awards so far this season. Basically, she’s gone from volleyball newcomer to most scouted player on Florida’s roster and it’s not for nothing.
SEC Libero of the Year — Holly Pole, Florida
Pole is technically new to the libero position since she just took over this year for fellow teammate Taylor Unroe.
But let’s get this straight. Pole is a beast in the libero position. So much so, that coach Mary Wise continues to credit the backline for Florida’s offensive success, which has been the talk of the team this season.
On Monday, Pole was honored as the SEC defensive player of the week after helping rout Tennessee 3-0.
Pole is leading the defense with 3.55 digs per set, and Wise said that Pole goes beyond the stats on the paper, digging and receiving 90- to 95- percent of the balls that come into her vicinity.
SEC Coach of the Year — Mary Wise
You can’t be surprised by this. Wise is literally the winningest coach in the SEC, if not the NCAA.
She’s the only coach left in the SEC that’s undefeated in conference play and has managed to recruit one of the deepest and strongest classes that Florida has seen in a long time.
To say Wise deserves Coach of the Year is an understatement. She pretty much deserves Coach of the Century, as Spurs coach Gregg Popovich would say.
All-SEC Team
Krystal Rivers, Alabama
Kat Hudson, Alabama
Sierra Wilson, Alabama
Meredith Hays, Arkansas
Monica Bolinger, Arkansas
Holly Pole, Florida
Rhamat Alhassan, Florida
Alex Holston, Florida
Mackenzie Dagostino, Florida
Tirah Le’au, Georgia
Desiree McCray, Georgia
Courtney Crable, LSU
Briana Holman, LSU
Payton Harris, Mississippi State
Carly Kan, Missouri
Whitney Little, Missouri
Cara Fisher, Missouri
Shelby Sullivan, Texas A&M
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