The Tusculum University women’s volleyball team saw five of its members recognized by the South Atlantic Conference with the release of the 2022 All-Conference team.
Emiah Burrowes and Carly Sosnowski were named to the All-SAC first team, while both Elise Carmichael and Carli Pigza garnered third team recognition. Martina Foster also earned a spot on the SAC All-Freshman team.
With two first-teamers, Tusculum has its most on the top-tier in a decade. For the second-straight season, the Pioneers find two on the third team, while Foster marks head coach Danielle Marante’s fourth All-Freshman honoree during her tenure.
Burrowes, a senior from Wesley Chapel, North Carolina, led the Pioneers with 285 kills by the end of the regular season, fifth-most in the SAC. Her 3.31 kills per set rate was the third-highest across the league. The outside hitter also totaled the second-most digs for TU with 208. In the Tusculum record book, Burrowes ranks fourth in attempts per set, 10th in kills, and 11th in hitting percentage. She upped her career-high in kills to 26 at Mars Hill, one of three 20-plus kill outings. Burrowes becomes only the second three-time All-SAC volleyball selection in program history while earning back-to-back first team laurels.
Sosnowski, a graduate student from Oxford, Florida, led the Pioneers by collecting 416 digs. Defensively, the libero is third in the league in both digs and digs per set (5.07 dps – 36th in NCAA II). She ranks third all-time in digs per set and fifth in career digs in program history. In September, Sosnowski recorded her first career double-double with 12 digs and 10 assists versus nationally-ranked Wingate. She racked up double-digit digs in 20-of-23 matches played, including a career-best 41 against Mars Hill. She has earned All-league honors for a second-straight year, elevating from last season’s second team nod.
Carmichael, an Avon, Indiana product, was the starting setter in the TU scheme, tallying 458 assists. Behind the service line, the senior also recorded a team-high 34 aces (7th in SAC). She reached triple-digits in digs as well, finishing the regular season with 141. Both her assist total and per set average ranked 10th in the league. Carmichael has recorded double-digit assists in her last 48 matches dating back to last season, including 23 in 2022. In the Tusculum record book, Carmichael is second all-time in aces per set, third in aces, and seventh in career assists. This is the second consecutive season that Carmichael has found herself on the All-SAC third team.
Fort Mill, South Carolina native Carli Pigza racked up the second-most kills for the Pioneers with 221. The graduate right side hitter edged out Carmichael with 142 digs for TU. Her kill total put her 13th in the SAC and 15th with a 2.57 per set average. A five-year player for Tusculum, Pigza is eighth in total blocks and 13th in hitting percentage in the program records. In the regular-season finale, Pigza hit .542 with 13 kills, rounding out her third double-double with 13 digs. This marks her third career SAC postseason honor.
Foster, a native of Hickory, North Carolina, finished her first collegiate regular season with 159 kills on a .322 hitting percentage (13th in the league). The middle blocker landed 16 aces and averaged nearly a block per set, recording 68 total (nine solo, 59 assists). Within her first three weeks at Tusculum, Foster earned a Zaxby’s Athlete of the Week honor, firing .625 with a career-best 15 kills. She was also named the Applebee’s Athlete of the Month at TU for September. Overall, Foster has recorded double-digit kills in four contests and is credited with at least one block in 23-of-24 matches, including 21-straight.
After a 3-0 upset win over Lenoir-Rhyne in the SAC quarterfinal, Tusculum will battle archrival Carson-Newman on Friday (Nov. 11) for a place in the SAC title match. The semifinal and final will be held at the Rock Hill Sport and Event Center in South Carolina. First serve is scheduled for 4 p.m.
2022 SAC Volleyball All-Conference
First Team
Emiah Burrowes, Tusculum
Sarah Goddard, Mars Hill
Emily Johnson, Wingate
Shannon Kasprak, Wingate
Noelle Knutsen, Anderson
Molly Lambillotte, Wingate
Carly Sosnowski, Tusculum (L)
Julia Wheeler, Carson-Newman
Second Team
Emma Clark, Lenoir-Rhyne
Jana Cuk, Mars Hill
Ashley Hawkins, Lenoir-Rhyne
Abbey Hildenbrand, Carson-Newman
Laela Jimenez, Mars Hill (L)
Colette Romp, Lenoir-Rhyne
Madison Roy, Anderson
Maggie Young, Wingate
Third Team
Elise Carmichael, Tusculum
Blake Cherry, Carson-Newman
Emmagrace Cobb, Carson-Newman
Jaelyn Grimm, Anderson
Liliana Kinder, Anderson
Maggie Mullen, Wingate (L)
Carli Pigza, Tusculum
Jordan Schmucker, Mars Hill
All-Freshman
Emmaleigh Allen, Lenoir-Rhyne
Martina Foster, Tusculum
Laela Jimenez, Mars Hill
Emily Johnson, Wingate
Tatum Riddle, Limestone
Samantha Shaffer, Newberry
Player of the Year
Shannon Kasprak, Wingate
Freshman of the Year
Emmaleigh Allen, Lenoir-Rhyne
Coach of the Year
Shelton Collier, Wingate
Statistical Champions
Hitting Percentage: Noelle Knutsen, Anderson (.393)
Kills Per Set: Julia Wheeler, Carson-Newman (4.44)
Assists Per Set: Shannon Kasprak, Wingate (10.26)
Blocks Per Set: Emily Johnson, Wingate (1.17)
Service Aces: Avery Webb, Newberry (52)
Digs Per Set: Laela Jimenez, Mars Hill (5.72)
Team Hitting Percentage: Wingate (.288)
Team Assists Per Set: Wingate (12.92)
Team Kills Per Set: Wingate (13.83)
Team Winning Percentage: Wingate (.931)
Team Opponent Hitting Percentage: Wingate (.087)
Team Blocks Per Set: Wingate (2.52)
Team Service Aces Per Set: Wingate (2.09)
Team Digs Per Set: Mars Hill (19.34)
