Bayreuther selected Defensive Player of the Year

Newbury College sophomore Courtney Banks earned Player of the Year honors, and teammate Lina Miranda took Rookie of the Year in voting by the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) women's volleyball coaches. Banks and Miranda, along with NECC Defensive Player of the Year Kacie Bayreuther of Bay Path University lead the 2014 All-Conference  team. Scott Wright, who led Regis College to an undefeated NECC record was named Coach of the Year.

Banks, an outside hitter from Corona, Calif., was a four-time NECC Player of the Week selection in 2014 and was the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) New England Division III Player of the Week for the final week of the regular season. She leads the NECC in overall kills (101) and kills per set (3.74) and blocks. Banks set a career single-match high in kills with 22 against Southern Maine, and recorded a career single-match high five aces against Salem State. She had a .333 hitting percentage in Conference play with 32 digs and 14 blocks.

Miranda, a native of Brockton, Mass., was the NECC and ECAC Division III New England Rookie of the Week for the week ending October 19. The outside hitter ranked third in the Conference in kills per set against NECC opponents (3.38) and recorded a career single-match high 18 kills against Southern Maine. Miranda registered a career single-match high hitting percentage of .393 against NECC opponent Bay Path University.

Bayreuther leads the Conference in overall NECC digs at 153. A libero from East Lyme, Conn., Bayreuther recorded a personal-best and a new program record for digs per match, with 37 digs against Elms in NECC play. She averages 5.28 digs a set in NECC play. 

Wright takes home his first NECC Coach of the Year honor in just his second season with the Pride. Regis was undefeated in the NECC regular season and did not drop a set in Conference play. Regis had an overall regular season record of 22-8.

2014 NECC Women's Volleyball Awards

Player of the Year – Courtney Banks, Newbury College, So., MH, Corona, Calif.

Defensive Player of the Year – Kacie Bayreuther, Bay Path University, Sr, Libero, East Lyme, Conn.

Rookie of the Year – Lina Miranda, Newbury College, FY, OH, Brockton, Mass.

Coach of the Year – Scott Wright, Regis College

Team Sportsmanship Award – Elms College

2014 NECC Women's Volleyball All-Conference First Team

• Courtney Banks, Newbury College, So., MH, Corona, Calif.
• Kristina del Rey, Regis So., RS, Miami, Fla.
• Jessica Dalgado, Southern Vermont, Sr., OH, Los Angeles, Calif.
• Anni Abbruzzese, Lesley, FY., OH, Croton on Hudson, N.Y.
• Kacie Beyruther, Bay Path University, Sr., L, East Lyme, Conn.
• Lina Miranda, Newbury College, FY, OH, Brockton, Mass.

2014 NECC Women's Volleyball All-Conference Second Team

• Ciara Bruning, Lesley, FY, OH, Centerville, Mass.
• Gracie Molinari, Regis, FY, OH, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
• Nicole Connolly, Regis, FY, MB, San Mateo, Calif.
• Emily Marden, Lesley, Jr., S, Freemont, Calif.
• Meghan McDermott, Newbury, Sr., DS, Hampton, N.H.
• Danielle McDonald, Lesley, Jr., OH, Lilitz, Pa.

2014 NECC Women's Volleyball All-Conference Honorable Mention

• Sheilani Kaleopa, Southern Vermont, Jr., S, Riverside, Calif.
• Christine Searles, Elms, Sr., MH, Tolland, Mass.
• Courtney Warrington, Daniel Webster, FY, OH, Canton, Texas
• Amanda Garcia, Mitchell, Jr., MB, New Britain, Conn.
• Tina Lathrop, Regis, FY, S, Houston, Texas