HADLEY, Mass. – The Middlebury duo of Molly Harrison and Annabella Rando were selected as the NESCAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively. Bowdoin’s Alison Smith was named the NESCAC Rookie of the Year and the Colby staff was voted as the NESCAC Coaching Staff of the Year by their peers.
 
Harrison is the third Middlebury player to be named the NESCAC Player of the Year (Leslie Edwards 2000 and Jane Handel 2010). The outside hitter also earned All-NESCAC First Team for the second consecutive season. Harrison leads the conference with 379 kills and kills per set (3.75). The sophomore owns 19 double-doubles this year, including a 16-kill, 15-dig performance in the NESCAC Championship match where the Panthers captured their sixth NESCAC title and first since 2016.
 
Rando is the third Panther to garner NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year honors (Caitlin Barrett 2012 and Jamie Wong, 2002). The first-year player leads the conference with 434 digs and is second in digs per set (4.72). Rando has posted 10 or more digs in 21 straight matches, including a career-best 35 in a victory over Bowdoin in the NESCAC Quarterfinals. Rando anchors a Middlebury defense that ranks at the top of the NESCAC with 18.02 digs per set. Rando and the Panthers earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and travel to Juniata for a regional where they will face Salisbury in their opening match.
 
Smith is the second consecutive Polar Bear to collect NESCAC Rookie of the Year honors and fourth overall (Skye LaMendola 2023, Kate Kiser 2017, Caroline Flaharty 2016). Smith, who saw action in all 23 matches, hit .310 in her first year at Bowdoin and averaged 2.55 kills per set. Smith posted a career-high 18 kills and hit .390 versus Middlebury during the regular season. Smith, who was named to the All-NESCAC First Team, also ranked among the team leaders in blocks with 41 this season.
 
The Colby coaching staff was recognized as the NESCAC Coaching Staff of the Year. Head coach Lindsey Johnson has guided the Mules to their best season since 2005 with a 24-3 record. Colby earned the top seed in the NESCAC Volleyball Championship after posting a 10-0 mark in conference play. The Mules finished as the NESCAC Runners-Up after falling to Middlebury in the championship match in five sets. Colby was an at-large selection to the NCAA Tournament and is making its second appearance in the national tournament (first since 2005). The Mules travel to MIT where they will play UMass Dartmouth in the first round of the regional.
 
2024 NESCAC Volleyball Awards
Player of the Year: Molly Harrison, Middlebury
Defensive Player of the Year: Annabella Rando, Middlebury
Rookie of the Year: Alison Smith, Bowdoin
Coaching Staff of the Year: Colby College

All-NESCAC First Team
Pos	Name	School	Yr.	Hometown	Previous Honors
OPP	Keely Campuzano	Williams	So.	Excelsior, Minn.
OH	LJ Grant	Colby	Jr.	New York, N.Y.
RS	Molly Harrison	Middlebury	So.	Tiburon, Calif.	2023 1st Team
OPP	Michelle Jorba	Wesleyan	Sr,	New York, N.Y.	2023 2nd Team
OH	Skye LaMendola	Bowdoin	So.	Farmers Branch, Texas	2023 ROY, 2023 1st Team
RS	Eva Lekovic	Trinity	Sr.	San Marino, Calif.	2023 2nd Team
OH	Brady Moseley	Colby	So.	San Juan Capo, Calif	2023 2nd Team
S	Gabbie O'Toole	Middlebury	Sr.	Overland Park, Kan.	2023 1st Team, 2022 2nd Team, 2021 ROY, 2021 2nd Team
RS	Alison Smith	Bowdoin	Fy.	Winnetka, Ill.
All-NESCAC Second Team
Pos	Name	School	Yr.	Hometown	Previous Honors
MB	Sydney Bopp	Colby	Jr.	Austin, Texas
MB	Bella Caffuzzi	Trinity	Sr.	Brooklyn, N.Y.	2023 2nd Team
MH	Haley Campau	Bowdoin	So.	Louisville, Ky.
OH	Claire Castor	Tufts	So.	Carmel, Ind.
OH	Mila Chan	Conn. College	Fy.	San Francisco, Calif.
MH	Bianca Gonya	Wesleyan	Sr.	Brooklyn, N.Y.
OPP	Emma Heckman	Tufts	So.	San Diego, Calif.
MB	Cyanne Jones	Colby	Fy.	Pasadena, Calif.
L	Lizzie Papalia	Amherst	Sr.	Fisherville, Ky.