The Windsor Lancers are pleased to announce that rookie outside hitter
Paige Phills has been named the women's volleyball OUA west division Rookie of the Year, as announced the Ontario University Athletics Monday.
The Blue & Gold are also honoured to have three additional Lancers named OUA west division all-stars. Fifth year senior
Carleigh Bailey has been named a first-team all-star, while
Lexi Pollard was appointed to the second team, and rookie
Brooke Davis was named to the OUA all-rookie team. Phills was also honoured as a second team all-star and on the all-rookie team.
When it comes to the first years that made the most of their initial opportunities, it was Windsor's
Paige Phills (Windsor, Ont.) who stood out the most to earn the 2017-18 West Division Rookie of the Year nod.
The Lancers finished just outside the top four in the division, but despite their 7-12 record, Phills shone from start to finish. The rookie finished with an 11th ranked in kills per set, pounding home 2.69 on average, which along with her 0.37 service aces per set, contributed to an impressive average of 3.3 points per set (14th in OUA). The outside hitter did well at the net, to the tune of a 0.131 hitting percentage, but was a key contributor in the rest of the game as well, highlighted by her 2.31 digs per set as well.
Not only do the numbers suggest that Phills had a strong season for this year's Lancers squad, but also for the program in general, as the first year becomes the first Windsor play to take home the top rookie honour since the 1996-97 campaign (Rachael Drummond).
In her final year with the Lancers, Bailey was named an OUA all-star for the second straight season, however, this year moving up to make the first-team selection. The Burlington, ON native led the OUA in digs per set with 5.48, as well as total digs with 389.
This is also the second straight year that second year outside hitter Pollard has been recognized by the league. A member of the OUA all-rookie team last year, Pollard was second on the team in points with 189.5 total to average 2.7 per game. Rookie
Brooke Davis also had a standout first season with Windsor, the Lancers with 413 total assists (7th overall in the OUA), to average 7.79 per set (6th overall in the OUA).
OUA Major Award Winners
Player of the Year (West) - Maicee Sorensen, McMaster
Rookie of the Year (West) –
Paige Phills, Windsor
Award of Merit (West) – Tori Carrol, Brock
Coach of the Year (West) – Paul Funk, Guelph
OUA First-Team All-Stars
Alex Curran, Guelph
Michaela Hellinga, Guelph
Maicee Sorensen, McMaster
Aleks Arsovic, McMaster
Claire Mackenzie, Waterloo
Kelsey Veltman, Western
Carleigh Bailey, Windsor
OUA Second-Team All-Stars
Libby Donevan, Guelph
Rheanna Geisel, Lakehead
Carly Heath, McMaster
Caitlin Geonvy, McMaster
Kat Tsiofas, Western
Paige Phills, Windsor
Lexi Pollard, Windsor
OUA All-Rookie Team
Grace Pyatt, Brock
Tara Tanasijevic, Guelph
Meghan Routier, Lakehead
Jenna Gravina, Waterloo
Serena Otshudi, Waterloo
Paige Phills, Windsor
Brooke Davis, Windsor
