by Special end-of-the-year awards went to Florida College junior Madison Lee as Setter of the Year, Haskell Indian Nations University (Kansas) senior Nakooma Pelt as Defender of the Year award, and Florida National University junior Layla Cortez as Attacker of the Year.
Meanwhile, Haskell Indian Nations’ Tressa Jim and Kamryn Link of College of the Ozarks (Missouri), both freshmen, shared the Newcomer of the Year award. Alta Malchoff-St. Pierre of Haskell Indian Nations was selected Coach of the Year.
College of the Ozarks and Haskell Indian Nations led the 12-player first all-conference team, with each having four selections. Florida College had three players on the first team while Florida National had one honoree.
Pelt led the NAIA with 892 digs (6.51 per set) while having 33 service aces across 37 matches this fall.
Cortez was the featured player in Florida National’s attack, posting a .209 hitting percentage within a team-high 757 attacks, while having 289 kills (3.71 per set) for the Conquistadors.
Jim anchored Haskell Indian Nations’ offense with 350 kills and a .191 hitting percentage in her first collegiate season. She also totaled 32 blocks and 130 digs defensively in 36 matches.
Link tallied 694 assists (7.38 per set), had 58 kills, 229 digs, and 15 blocks during her freshman campaign. He had just 28 errors on kills for the Bobcats.
Malchoff-St. Pierre guided Haskell Indian Nations to a runner-up finish at the 2023 CAC Volleyball Championship Tournament, losing to College of the Ozarks in five sets during the final match. The team defeated Florida College in five sets during the semifinal round. The team posted a 17-21 record.
Here are the first and second all-conference teams, sorted in alphabetical order by school, along with the Champion of Character award winners of the postseason qualifying teams.
2023 Continental Athletic Conference Volleyball All-Conference Team
Player of the Year: Adriana Bravo, Florida College
Setter of the Year: Madison Lee, Florida College
Defender of the Year: Nakooma Pelt, Haskell Indian Nations University
Attacker of the Year: Layla Cortez, Florida National University
Newcomer of the Year: Kamryn Link, College of the Ozarks
Newcomer of the Year: Tressa Jim, Haskell Indian Nations University
Coach of the Year: Alta Malchoff-St. Pierre, Haskell Indian Nations University
First Team
Mica Chadwell, College of the Ozarks
Bailey Chamberlain, College of the Ozarks
Bri Linehan, College of the Ozarks
Kamryn Link, College of the Ozarks
Adriana Bravo, Florida College
Cassidy Lee, Florida College
Madison Lee, Florida College
Layla Cortez, Florida National University
Kailey Becenti, Haskell Indian Nations University
Tressa Jim, Haskell Indian Nations University
Nakooma Pelt, Haskell Indian Nations University
Mikeya Sheppard, Haskell Indian Nations University
Second Team
Abby Chadwell, College of the Ozarks
Brooklyn Crawford, College of the Ozarks
Heather Conaway, Crowley’s Ridge College
Emi Elms, Crowley’s Ridge College
Edsyl Irizarry, Fisher College
Addeson Coffey, Florida College
Carolina Ramalheira, Florida College
Raquel Teixeira, Florida College
Taylor Purdy, Florida National University
Ivette Sandoval, Florida National University
Justine Butterfield, Haskell Indian Nations University
Mary Bighorn, Haskell Indian Nations University
Champion of Character
Madelyn Sestak, College of the Ozarks
Adrian Bravo, Florida College
Amaya Morales, Florida National University
Justine Butterfield, Haskell Indian Nations University
