Women's Volleyball | 11/29/2022 4:33:00 PM
CALDWELL, Idaho – Five members of the College of Idaho volleyball team –
Ali Carpenter,
Payton Elledge, Analise Hitchcock, Gabriella Rios and
Emily Vandenberg – were recognized as part of the 2022 Daktronics NAIA Women's Volleyball Scholar-Athlete Team that was announced by officials on Tuesday.
Carpenter saw action in 92 sets and moved into the starting libero spot after an injury on the Yotes roster. She averaged 2.52 digs per set with a season-high 24 against Northwest on November 4.
Elledge saw action in 44 sets, where she averaged 0.84 digs per set with a season-high 13 against Multnomah on October 22. She had three service aces and 10 digs in the win at Warner Pacific on October 21.
Hitchcock was the setter for College of Idaho most of the season with 754 assists (8.02 assists per set) and 187 digs (1.99 digs per set). Her 754 assists are the 22
nd most in program history and she had a season-high 52 in the five set win over Evergreen (Nov. 5) to end the season. Plus, Hitchcock had seven double doubles with double-digit digs and assists. She also posted a .188 hitting percentage with a season-high three kills on five occasions.
Rios played in 87 sets with 2.40 digs and 1.91 kills per set. She had eight matches with double-figure kills with a season-high 17 against Southwestern Assemblies of God University on August 20. Rios had a season-high 17 digs against No. 1 Eastern Oregon on September 13. Plus, she was a presence on the service line with 17 service aces with three matches where she recorded three service aces.
Vandenberg in 27 sets of action had 54 kills and three matches with double-figure kills as she posted a season-high 15 kills, 12 digs and three service aces against Evergreen on November 5.
It marks the third year in a row that the College of Idaho has had at least five selections including a program-best 10 in 2021. College of Idaho finished the 2022 season with a 10-19 overall mark and a 9-13 record against Cascade Collegiate Conference foes. In order to be nominated by an institution's head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, must appear on the eligibility certificate for the sport and have attended one full year at said institution.
