Tar Heels volleyball player Mabrey Shaffmaster voted ACC freshman of the year
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Three Tar Heels have garnered All-Atlantic Coast Conference volleyball honors and Mabrey Shaffmaster has been named ACC Freshman of the Year, the league announced on Monday afternoon. Graduate student Nia Parker-Robinson, sophomore Kaya Merkler and Shaffmaster were named to the All-ACC second team and Shaffmaster also was tabbed for the ACC All-Freshman Team.
“We are so proud of the accomplishments of our team and these three student-athletes for their contributions this season,” UNC coach Joe Sagula said. “Each of them has made an immediate impact this year in their ACC play and how they have helped lead the team with their accomplishments.”
After finishing the regular season 21-8 (10-8 ACC), the Tar Heels earned an at-large bid to the 2021 NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship Tournament. Carolina will travel to Columbus, Ohio, to face Tennessee on Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. in a first-round game.
Shaffmaster becomes just the fifth Tar Heel in program history to be named ACC Freshman of the Year and the first since Julia Scoles in 2016. The outside hitter has made 28 starts, racking up 371 kills, the most of any freshman in the ACC. She also has a team-best 30 service aces, 240 digs, 31 blocks and leads the Tar Heels in points per set (4.02). The 6-foot-1 New Castle, Ind., native, has recorded eight double-doubles and double-digit kills in 18 matches. The freshman ranks No. 9 in the ACC in kills per set (3.53) and points per set. Shaffmaster has been named the ACC Freshman of the Week four times this season, including the final week of the regular season, in which she helped lead the Tar Heels to a five-set victory at Duke with a career-best 27 kills. She currently ranks third on UNC’s all-time freshman lists for kills and kills-per-set average.
“Mabrey has been playing at a high level all season as a six-rotation player and we knew she could be a significant player in the ACC,” Sagula said. “This is a great accomplishment and a testament to her consistency all season. She is a versatile attacker and passer and has made her mark from the service line as well. We’re so proud of her hard work and for this special recognition and for what she brings to the Tar Heels every day.”
Parker-Robinson, a graduate transfer from Northwestern, is making her first appearance on the All-ACC team. The 6-foot-2 outside hitter from Indianapolis, Ind., has appeared in all 29 matches this season. She leads the team in total kills (391) and kills per set (3.80), and finished the regular season ranked fifth in the ACC in kills per set and seventh in points per set (4.02). Parker-Robinson recorded a team-best 23 matches with double-digit kills this season, while also recording 29 total blocks, five solo and 24 block assists, 80 digs and six service aces.
“Nia has been a force and an impact player for us all season with her power, net play, and all-around competitive energy,” Sagula said. “She has been a consistent attacker and leader for our team. In her short time in Chapel Hill, she is recognized as one of the best to wear a Tar Heel jersey.”
Merkler is making her second appearance on an All-ACC team after being named to the All-Freshman team last season. Merkler, who leads the team in total blocks (95), finished the regular season with a team-best .365 attacking percentage, the sixth-highest in the conference. The 6-foot-3 middle hitter from Chapel Hill is currently averaging .97 blocks per set, 2.34 kills per set and has racked up 19 block solos and 76 block assists in 27 matches. The Oct. 18 ACC Player of the Week has tallied the third-most kills for the Tar Heels (229), 13 service aces and has had seven matches with double-digit kills.
“Kaya has been one of the top middle hitters all season both in the ACC play and in non-conference,” Sagula said. “She finds ways to score on a variety of playsets and has become one of the top blockers for our program along the way. This recognition is very well deserved, and we are excited to see her future and continue to be one of the very best in the ACC.”
UNC is part of the NCAA Tournament field for the 19th time in program history and the first since 2016. With a win against Tennessee (19-9, 11-7 SEC) on Friday, the Tar Heels would advance to face either Howard or host Ohio State on Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. in the second round.
2021 ACC VOLLEYBALL AWARD WINNERS
Player of the Year: Julia Bergmann, Georgia Tech, Jr., OH
Defensive Player of the Year: Mackenzie Cole, Duke, Sr., L
Setter of the Year: Tori Dilfer, Louisville, Sr., S
Freshman of the Year: Mabrey Shaffmaster, North Carolina, Fr., OH
Coach of the Year: Dani Busboom Kelly, Louisville
First Team All-ACC
Emma Clothier***, Florida State, Jr., MB
Julia Bergmann^***, Georgia Tech, Jr., OH
Mariana Brambilla^****, Georgia Tech, Sr., OH
Matti McKissock***, Georgia Tech, Sr., S
Anna DeBeer***, Louisville, So., OH
Tori Dilfer^**, Louisville, Gr., S
Anna Stevenson^***, Louisville, Gr., MB
Savannah Vach***, Miami, So., S
Melissa Evans*****, NC State, Gr., OPP
Serena Gray, Pitt, Sr., MB
Kayla Lund*****, Pitt, Gr., OH
Leketor Member-Meneh, Pitt, Sr., OH
Chinaza Ndee****, Pitt, Sr., RS
Marina Markova, Syracuse, Jr., OH
Second Team All-ACC
Mackenzie Cole**, Duke, Sr., L
Morgan Chacon**, Florida State, Jr., S
Breland Morrissette, Georgia Tech, Sr., MB
Claire Chaussee, Louisville, Sr., OH
Aiko Jones**, Louisville, Jr., OPP
Amaya Tillman***, Louisville, Jr., MB
Elena Scott, Louisville, Fr., L
Angela Grieve, Miami, So., OH
Priscilla Hernandez, Miami, Sr., L
Janice Leao, Miami, Jr., MB
Kaya Merkler**, North Carolina, So., MH
Nia Parker-Robinson, North Carolina, Gr., OH
Mabrey Shaffmaster, North Carolina, Fr., OH
Charley Niego****, Notre Dame, Sr., OH
Polina Shemanova***, Syracuse, Sr., OH
*15 players on the second team due to a tie in the voting
All-Freshman Team
Emery Dupes, Florida State, L
Audrey Koenig, Florida State, OH
Khori Louis, Florida State, MB
Bianca Bertolino, Georgia Tech, OH
Elena Scott, Louisville, L
Peyman Yardimci, Miami, OH
Mabrey Shaffmaster, North Carolina, OH
Jada Allen, NC State, MB
Brooklyn Borum, Virginia, OH
^ denotes unanimous first-team selection
* denotes number of career All-ACC honors
The original press release can be viewed on goheels.com.
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