Point Volleyball takes home All-Conference honors
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (Nov. 8, 2023) - The Southern States Athletic Conference held the SSAC Volleyball Awards' banquet where there was a multitude of awards being announced. Point Volleyball highlighted All-Conference, Champions of Character, and All-Academic honors.
First Team All-Conference: Paige Lowe
Coming into the season, Paige Lowe was named a top returner by the Southern States Athletic Conference and was on pace for 1,000 career assists. Four matches into her sophomore season, Lowe surpassed 1,000 assists and immediately won SSAC Setter of the Week. Although this was her first time winning in the new conference, Lowe would have a third career Setter of the Week award to her resume as she won Setter of the Week twice in the previous season in the Appalachian Athletic Conference. Lowe continued to prove that a new conference would not stop her consistency as Lowe had season highs of 53, 44, and 43 assist matches. Paige Lowe would earn her second SSAC Setter of the Week award on Monday, October 30th after a 3-0 Sweep against Faulkner where Lowe had 36 assists total and averaged 12.00 assists per set. In two seasons with Point, the sophomore from Columbus, Georgia already has a steep resume in a Skyhawk uniform. Her accolades include the Setter of the Week Award (4x, 2 in SSAC and 2 in AAC), 2nd Point Volleyball Setter in program history to enter the 1,000 career assist club, First-Team All-Conference (2x), and All-Freshman team.
Second Team All-Conference, Champions of Character Award: Jordan Palmer
The Lone Senior from Statesboro, Georgia was hungry to help contribute to a team that was entering a new conference with new opponents. Jordan Palmer started the season 255 digs away from 1,000 total in her career. While Palmer was aware of the stat, she did not make it a priority and instead focused on helping the team win. The hard work that was put in on the court started to show in front of Skyhawk Nation as Palmer would secure 1,000 career digs in the final home regular season game in front of her loved ones. Jordan Palmer is a player who is not afraid of a challenge against a team's best attacker and is willing to give it 100% each time she is on the court. Palmer had season highs of 29 digs against Middle Georgia and 25 digs against Mobile. Palmer also joins the club of a player who won Defender of the Week in both the AAC and SSAC. Jordan Palmer will have her name in a lot of records for Point Volleyball and can now add being on Second Team All-Conference for the second consecutive season in a row.
Second Team All-Conference: Sameily Marquez
The Junior from Arroyo, Puerto Rico is a team's worst nightmare to have to defend against. The focus from Sam Marquez as she entered the new season was full of motivation and anticipation. Marquez started the season with intentions to be one of the top attackers as she had 17 kills in their first match against Brenau. She started to find ways to add her versatility to the team as Marquez had four double-double matches on the season. As the Skyhawks started to go on a consistent run, Sam Marquez amped her play to a season-high of 18 kills and 15 digs against Loyola University-New Orleans on Friday, October 13th, and followed with 14 kills and nine digs the next day against William Carey. The explosive play would see Sameily Marquez earn SSAC Attacker of the Week where she totaled 32 kills and 24 digs while hitting .256. As Marquez continues to be a top attacker in the conference, she can add being an SSAC Second Team All-Conference Player to prove her case.
Barnes and Noble All-Academic Team