Courtesy of the SIAC
Mobile, AL (November 10, 2022) – The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) announced its annual women’s volleyball awards to finish the 2022 season. The team, which features fourteen student-athletes, was voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Edward Waters outside hitter, Fatima Ramirez, headlines the 2022 All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Women’s Volleyball All-Conference earning the Tigers’ first Player of the Year honor since EWU’s transition into the SIAC. Joining her is teammate, Mataiya Barber, a freshman setter who earned the 2022 SIAC Setter of the Year award.
The Cricket SIAC Women’s Volleyball Championship is scheduled to begin Wednesday, Nov. 10 which will feature Spring Hill’s Mikayla Boyer, who was named Libero of the Year, and Albany State’s Mary Preston who earned Freshman of the Year.
Lane’s Head Coach Alexis Emanuel was selected as the SIAC Coach of the Year in her first season.
Ramirez, a sophomore outside hitter, was an offensive threat for the Tigers in their first year of SIAC play and has been tabbed this year’s SIAC Player of the Year. The Belize native led the conference in kills with 381 on the season and led the Tigers to their first East Division Championship title going into the tournament. She has collected 3.49 kills per set, 295 digs (2.71 digs per set), 37.0 blocks, 36 service aces, and 14 assists in 109 sets played.
Joining Ramirez is teammate, Mataiya Barber in her first year with the Tigers, who was named this year’s SIAC Setter of the Year. The Texas native tallied 833 assists, 209 digs, 57 kills, 25 service aces, and 17.0 blocks in 92 sets played. She is ranked second in the conference in assists this season.
Mary Kate Preston had an outstanding rookie season for the Golden Rams and has been named this year’s SIAC Freshman of the Year. “MK” was instrumental in the Golden Rams 18-7 record (16-3 in the SIAC). The freshman middle hitter led the conference collecting a hitting percentage of .401 this season. After winning 16 conference games, Albany State enters the tournament as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Division. In 23 sets played, the Texas native finished the regular season with 65 kills (2.83 per set), 19 total blocks, 18 digs, and five service aces.
Boyer, the 2022 SIAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, was the best defensive player for Spring Hill this season and earned this year’s Libero of the Year award. The redshirt junior libero led the conference in total digs with 527 (4.88 per set) this season and is ranked 26th in Division II. The Louisiana native finished the season with 80 assists and 42 service aces in 108 sets for the Badgers.
Head Coach Alexis Emanuel of Lane received her first SIAC Coach of the Year award in her first season with the Dragons. Under Emanuel’s guidance, the Dragons built a 25-14 overall record (13-6 SIAC) earning the No. 2 seed in the West Division going into the championship tournament. Emanuel posted an overall improvement of 10 wins compared to the 2021 season.
Albany State led this year’s all-conference team with four selections. Edward Waters and Spring Hill followed up with three selections respectively. Lane, Clark Atlanta, and Fort Valley State rounded out the 2022 SIAC All-Conference team with one selection.
The Elite 14 award recognized the student-athlete who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the SIAC championship level in his or her sport while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. Destinee Langston of Savannah State is this year’s recipient of this award in her sport.
(complete team listed below)
2022 SIAC Volleyball All-Conference Team
First Team
| Kyra Gaston | Outside Hitter | Freshman | Lane | Detroit, MI |
| Destinee Langston | Outside Hitter | Junior | Savannah State | Fayetteville, GA |
| Fatima Ramirez | Outside Hitter | Sophomore | Edward Waters | Belmopan, Belize |
| Kassandra Fairly | Middle Hitter | R-Senior | Spring Hill | Ft. Walton Beach, FL |
| Mary Kate Preston | Middle Hitter | Freshman | Albany State | Manvel, TX |
| Mikayla Boyer | Libero | R-Junior | Spring Hill | Covington, LA |
| Mataiya Barber | Setter | Freshman | Edward Waters | Denton, TX |
Second Team
| Shynique McGee | Outside Hitter | Sophomore | Clark Atlanta | Atlanta, GA |
| Raven Edwards | Outside Hitter | Sophomore | Fort Valley State | Merrillville, IN |
| Sydney Melton | Outside Hitter | Sophomore | Albany State | Hoover, AL |
| Khamari Trotter | Middle Hitter | Freshman | Albany State | Kathleen, GA |
| Saniya Spalding | Middle Hitter | Freshman | Edward Waters | Merrillville, IN |
| Hailey Elyicio | Libero | Sophomore | Albany State | Albuquerque, NM |
| Jessica Fairly | Setter | R-Sophomore | Spring Hill | Ft. Walton Beach, FL |
Coach of the Year: Alexis Emanuel, Lane
Player of the Year: Fatima Ramirez, Edward Waters
Freshman of the Year: Mary Preston, Albany State
Libero of the Year: Mikayla Boyer, Spring Hill
Setter of the Year: Mataiya Barber, Edward Waters
Elite 14: Destinee Langston, Savannah State
