• ROSTER
• |
• COACHES
• |
• SCHEDULE
• |
• STATS
• |
• NEWS
• |
• ARCHIVES
• |
• PHOTOS

Follow @UofLSports on Twitter

Nov. 19, 2009

At the BIG EAST's annual awards banquet, the conference office announced the recipients of the league's four prestigious postseason awards. Regular season champion Notre Dame, which went 14-0 in league play this year saw its head coach, Debbie Brown honored as BIG EAST Coach of the Year. Pittsburgh, which lost only two conference games this season, had two award winners. Seniors Meagan Dooley and Michelle Rossi were selected as the BIG EAST Player and Libero of the Year. Louisville freshman Lola Arslanbekova rounded out the award winners as she was tabbed as the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year.

Brown earns her sixth Coach of the Year honor and first since 2005. Brown saw Notre Dame crack the AVCA Top 25 poll for the first time since 2006 on Nov. 9, entering at No. 24 after receiving votes for the previous nine weeks. Notre Dame moved up to 23 this week. For just the second time in program history and the first since 1993, Notre Dame earned a win over a top-five opponent, as the Irish dealt No. 5 Stanford a 3-0 loss on Aug. 29. When Brown led ND to a 3-0 win against Villanova on Oct. 4 it marked her 800th overall match on the sideline as a head coach and 600th with the Irish. The victory also was Brown's 550th career win. Notre Dame was picked to finish third in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll and went unbeaten in conference play.

Dooley was a physical and statistical nightmare for opposing teams all season. The 6-1 middle hitter was sixth in the BIG EAST in kills per set (3.86) while also ranking third in hitting percentage at .369. The senior was strong at the defensive end, finishing third in blocks per set with 1.52. Dooley was the BIG EAST's overall points-per-set leader with 4.93 per game. At Pitt, Dooley ranks second in career total blocks (500) and career block solos (123), while claiming fourth in all-time block assists (377). She was a unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team selection.

Rossi was a stalwart on the defensive end for the Panthers all season, playing every set (100) for Pitt. The senior was third in the BIG EAST in digs per set (4.79) and helped Pittsburgh to a 20-8 overall record, a 12-2 league mark and the No. 3 seed in the conference championship. The 12 victories are a Pittsburgh record. Rossi is currently second on Pittsburgh's career digs list with 2,009. She also added 35 assists and 10 service aces on the season. Rossi was a 2009 All-BIG EAST First Team selection.

Arslanbekova had a marquee campaign in her debut for the Cardinals. The rookie finished second in the BIG EAST with 4.25 kills per set as she led the Louisville offense all season. Her offensive prowess helped UofL return to the conference championship where the Cardinals will be defending their league title. She was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week four times and capped the season with a Player of the Week award. The outside hitter was also named to the All-Cardinal Classic Team and Active Ankle Challenge Team at Ball State. She was also an All-BIG EAST First Team Selection.

2009 BIG EAST Volleyball Awards
BIG EAST Player of the Year
Meagan Dooley, Pittsburgh, Sr., MH
BIG EAST Libero of the Year
Michelle Rossi, Pittsburgh, Sr., L
BIG EAST Freshman of the Year
Lola Arslanbekova, Louisville, Fr., OH
BIG EAST Coach of the Year
Debbie Brown, Notre Dame
All-BIG EAST First Team
Alli Arbogast, USF, Sr., MB
Lola Arslanbekova, Louisville, Fr., OH
Lecia Brown, Louisville, Sr., MB
*Meagan Dooley, Pittsburgh, Sr., MH
Annie Fesl, Cincinnati, Jr., S
*Marcela Gurgel, USF, Sr., OH
Christina Kaelin, Notre Dame, Sr., OH
Sarah Morton, Syracuse, Sr., MB
Jamel Nicholas, Notre Dame, Sr., S
*Stephanie Niemer, Cincinnati, Jr., OH
Serinity Philips, Notre Dame, Sr., OH
Michelle Rossi, Pittsburgh, Sr., L
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Ashley Beyer, Marquette, So., OH
Allie Boaz, USF, Jr., RS
Vanessa Dorismond, Georgetown, Jr., MB
Lauren Evans, West Virginia, Jr., MB
Missy Harpenau, Cincinnati, So., OH
Nikki Klingsporn, Marquette, Jr., S
Kim Maroon, Villanova, So., L
Allie Matters, Seton Hall, Jr., OH
Maggie Mergen, Villanova, So., MB
Rebecca Murray, Connecticut, Jr., MH
Kellie Sciacca, Notre Dame, Jr., MB
Amy Town, Pittsburgh, Jr., OH
* - unanimous selection