Junior Emily Burford Named Second Team All-ECC In Women's Volleyball

West Babylon, N.Y. – The East Coast Conference announced the league's Volleyball All-Conference Teams at the ECC Volleyball Championship awards luncheon on Friday afternoon. Headlining the selections as the conference's Player of the Year was Tiffany Verni (Patchogue, N.Y.) of NYIT. Other award honorees include Isa McCaffrey (North Royalton, Ohio) of Daemen and Sophia Smith (Georgetown, Texas) of Molloy, who shared the Setter of the Year award, and NYIT's Jamie Yonker (Old Bethpage, N.Y.) who was named both the Libero and Rookie of the Year. Wrapping up the conference's major awards was Daemen's Head Coach Stephanie Albano, who was named Coach of the Year by her peers. 

Verni, a three-time ECC All-Conference First Team pick, earns the first major honor of her career after leading the ECC with 503 kills, 160 more than the runner-up. She also paced the league with 4.41 kills per set and 4.8 points per set. Those numbers placed her among the national leaders, as well. She finished the regular season 10th in the nation in kills per set and points per set, while ranking third in total kills. In addition, she ranked in the top 10 in the ECC with 370 digs while also adding 29 service aces.  

McCaffrey, the first Setter of the Year honoree, led the league with 1,048 assists and finished second with 10.17 assists per set. The seven-time ECC weekly award recipient also added 47 kills, 187 digs, 30 service aces, and 24 total blocks on the year.

Smith, the second half of the Setter of the Year honorees, finished second in the league with 928 assists and first with 10.20 assists per set. The six-time ECC Setter of the Week also sent home 101 kills, and added 249 digs, 25 service aces, and 21 total blocks.

Yonker had a standout debut season to capture both the Libero and Rookie of the Year awards. She led the conference with 666 digs and 5.84 digs per set, while ranking eighth in the league with 31 service aces.  In addition, her dig total ranks 10th in Division II and was an NYIT single-season program record, while her dig per set mark comes in at 20th in the nation

Albano captures the league's Coach of the Year award for the second time in three seasons. She guided her team to a 13-1 record in ECC play, to earn the league's Regular Season Championship and the top seed in this weekend's championship. She has also led the Wildcats to a No. 3 ranking in the NCAA East Region Poll.

Joining Verni, McCaffrey, and Smith on the All-Conference First Team are Kacey Affrunti (Levittown, N.Y.) and Carly Banks (Camas, Wash.) of Molloy, Rachel Londot (Utica, Ohio) of LIU Post, and Tirzah Peters (Amherst, N.Y.) of Daemen.

Yonker is joined on the All-Conference Second Team by Daemen's Meghan Ballou (Eden, N.Y.), Bridgeport's Emily Burford (Albuquerque, N.M.), Molloy's Jessica Fischetti (Seaford, N.Y.), LIU Post's Lauren Kloos (Kings Park, N.Y.), and Mercy's Kaitlyn Partridge (Corona, Calif.) and Leilani Vazquez (Gurabo, Puerto Rico).

Kassie Akouri-Tejedor (North Miami Beach, Fla.) and Abby Eckhardt (Westminster, Colo.), both of LIU Post, wrap up the All-Conference honorees as Honorable Mention selections.

2018 ECC Volleyball All-Conference
First Team
Kacey Affrunit, So., M, Molloy
Carly Banks, Jr., OH, Molloy
Rachel Londot, Sr., OH, LIU Post
Isa McCaffrey, Fr., S, Daemen
Tirzah Peters, So., MH, Daemen
Sophia Smith, Jr., S, Molloy
Tiffany Verni, Sr., OH, NYIT

Second Team
Meghan Ballou, Jr., OH, Daemen
Emily Burford, Jr., MB, Bridgeport
Jessica Fischetti, Jr., DS, Molloy
Lauren Kloos, So., RS, LIU Post
Kaitlyn Partridge, Sr., MB, Mercy
Leilani Vazquez, So., OH, Mercy
Jamie Yonker, Fr., L, NYIT

Honorable Mention
Kassie Akouri-Tejedor, Jr., S, LIU Post
Abby Eckhardt, Jr., L/DS, LIU Post

Player of the Year: Tiffany Verni, NYIT
Co-Setter of the Year: Isa McCaffrey, Daemen
Co-Setter of the Year: Sophia Smith, Molloy
Libero of the Year: Jamie Yonker, NYIT
Rookie of the Year: Jamie Yonker, NYIT
Coach of the Year: Stephanie Albano, Daemen