2005 Clemson Volleyball Awards Announced

Dec. 9, 2005

CLEMSON, SC – The 2005 Clemson volleyball team held its end-of-year banquet on Thursday night where Head Coach Jolene Jordan Hoover presented eight awards to her players. Anna Vallinch, a junior from Papillion, NE, was the only multiple award-winner with three honors, including being named the team’s Most Valuable Player.

The Bernard Caffrey MVP Award recognizes the student-athlete who by virtue of her athletic talents made the most visible impact on the volleyball team during the season. Selected by her teammates, Vallinch’s contributions were deemed the most valuable in achieving the team’s goals. As the team’s libero, she tallied 541 defensive saves, and her 4.58 digs per game average ranked fifth in the ACC. Vallinch’s 36 digs against Boston College on Nov. 19 tied the school record for digs in a match, and she moved into Clemson’s top 10 with 1,027 career defensives saves in just two years with the program.

Vallinch also earned the team’s Best Defensive Player award for the second consecutive year and received the 3.0 Passer Award, given to the player who earns the highest passing percentage during the entire season.

Sophomore outside hitter Brittany Ross was named Clemson’s Best Offensive Player after totaling 525 kills on the season. Ross was selected to the second-team All-ACC and earned honorable mention AVCA All-East Region. The Sunrise, FL native tied the school record for kills in a match on two different occasions this season. She posted 32 kills against Georgia Tech on Nov. 15 and then did it again three days later against Maryland. In the Tigers’ match against Virginia Tech on Nov. 23, Ross became just the 11th player in Clemson history to post at least 20 kills and 20 digs in the same match. She had 26 kills and 20 defensive saves in the contest.

The Lucia White Memorial Rookie-of-the-Year award, received by Jeannette Abbott, recognizes the player who in her first year of competition at Clemson contributed the most to the success of the team. Abbott was named the ACC Freshman-of-the-Year, as well as the AVCA East Region Freshman-of-the-Year, after setting the school record for kills in a season by a freshman. She totaled 515 kills this season, while also posting 79 blocks and recording 304 digs.

Laura Boozer, a redshirt freshman from Columbia, SC, was given the Tiger Spirit Award. The award recognizes the player who made a special contribution to the team throughout the season and who symbolizes a standard of excellence because of her achievements as a student and an athlete. Boozer hit a team-best .270 this season with 94 kills and also posted 63 total blocks in just 63 games played.

Meghan Steiner and Meghan Stanton were also honored at Thursday’s banquet. Steiner, a sophomore native of Crystal Lake, IL earned the team’s Practice Player Award, and Stanton, the team’s lone senior, received the Coach’s Award.

2005 Clemson Volleyball Awards Bernard Caffrey Most Valuable Player – Anna VallinchBest Defensive Player – Anna VallinchBest Offensive Player – Brittany RossLucia White Memorial Rookie-of-the-Year – Jeannette AbbottTiger Spirit Award – Laura Boozer3.0 Passer Award – Anna VallinchPractice Player Award – Meghan SteinerCoach’s Award – Meghan Stanton