Title image via Nick Sutton
Courtesy of Norfolk State Athletics
Norfolk State freshman Gabrielle Gilbert is the first NSU volleyball player to have the honor of calling herself an All-MEAC First Team selection, and she only needed one year to achieve the feat.
Gilbert was named to the All-MEAC First Team on Thursday, as the conference unveiled its postseason honorees at the 2023 MEAC Volleyball Championship Banquet. She also received the MEAC Rookie of the Year award.
Middle blocker Grace Smith also received a postseason accolade, joining Gilbert on the MEAC All-Rookie Team.
Gilbert became the first player in Norfolk State volleyball history to earn the MEAC Rookie of the Year award, also becoming the first All-MEAC First Team selection in program history.
Gilbert and Smith also became the first Spartan tandem to be named to the MEAC All-Rookie Team in the same season.
An outside hitter from Indianapolis, Ind., Gilbert has taken the MEAC by storm in her first season of collegiate volleyball. She has earned six weekly conference accolades, taking the MEAC Rookie of the Week recognition on five occasions.
Gilbert’s 3.54 kills per set ranks second in the MEAC, providing valuable versatility with 1.53 digs per set. She has recorded three double-doubles this season. Entering postseason play, Gilbert still has a chance to break the program record Jessica Johnson set in 2016 of 3.66 kills per set.
A Manassas, Va. product, Smith has established herself as a premiere net presence in her debut season, averaging 1.14 kills and 0.71 blocks per set.
Smith enjoyed a breakthrough performance at Coppin State, tallying nine kills and three blocks against the top team in the conference standings. She recorded three or more blocks on 11 occasions, recording a career-best of five at North Carolina Central.
Norfolk State gets its postseason play underway on Friday against Maryland Eastern Shore, the No. 4 seed, at 2:30 p.m.
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MEAC Volleyball
2023 Postseason All-MEAC Teams
As voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors
Player of the Year: Rya McKinnon, Howard
Rookie of the Year: Gabrielle Gilbert, Norfolk State
Setter of the Year: Andrea Tsvetanova, Coppin State
Defensive Player of the Year: Ashley Roman, Coppin State
Coach of the Year: Tim Walsh, Coppin State
ALL-MEAC FIRST TEAM
| Name | Class | Ht. | Pos. | School | Hometown |
| Ashley Roman | R-Sr. | 5-5 | L | Coppin State | Isabela, Puerto Rico |
| Andrea Tsvetanova | R-Sr. | 5-9 | S | Coppin State | Sofia, Bulgaria |
| Rya McKinnon | So. | 5-11 | OH | Howard | Hoover, Ala. |
| TaKenya Stafford | R-So. | 5-11 | OH | Coppin State | Los Angeles, CA |
| Gabrielle Gilbert | Fr. | 6-0 | OH | Norfolk State | Indianapolis, Ind. |
| Alondra Maldonado | Sr. | 6-1 | OH | Delaware State | Patillas, Puerto Rico |
| Kelsie Dawson | Jr. | 6-1 | MB | Delaware State | Nashville, Tenn. |
| Cimone Woodard | Jr. | 6-3 | MB | Howard | Missouri City, Texas |
| Geraldyn Palacios | Sr. | 6-1 | MB | Coppin State | Medellin, Colombia |
ALL-MEAC SECOND TEAM
| Name | Class | Ht. | Pos. | School | Hometown |
| Kayla Diaz | Sr. | 5-7 | S | Howard | Rockland, NY |
| Emmie Modlin | So. | 5-11 | OH | N.C. Central | Pinehurst, NC |
| Laila Ibrahim | So. | 6-1 | OH | Coppin State | Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| Loren Johnson | Jr. | 5-6 | LB | N.C. Central | Charlotte, NC |
| Ella Sanders | Fr. | 5-10 | OH | Delaware State | Albuquerque, NM |
| Claire Simpson | So. | 5-6 | LB | Howard | Plainfield, IL |
| Derionah Abner | Gr. | 5-6 | RS | Maryland Eastern Shore | Orlando, FL |
MEAC ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
| Name | Class | Ht. | Pos. | School | Hometown |
| Gabrielle Gilbert | Fr. | 6-0 | OH | Norfolk State | Indianapolis, IN |
| Ella Sanders | Fr. | 5-10 | OH | Delaware State | Albuquerque, NM |
| Jada Williams | Fr. | 6-2 | MB | Morgan State | Fredericksburg, VA |
| Anisa Dorlouis | Fr. | 5-8 | S | Maryland Eastern Shore | Gainesville, Fla. |
| Coco Figueroa | Fr. | 5-5 | LB | Coppin State | Bayamon, Puerto Rico |
| Grace Smith | Fr. | 6-1 | MB | Norfolk State | Manassas, Va. |
