BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Carnae Dillard was named the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year and joined Courtney Windham on the All-Sun Belt First Team the league announced at the annual pre-tournament banquet on Wednesday.
Dillard, who led NT to its second SBC West Division title in three years, is the first North Texas player to win SBC Freshman of the Year since Corina Marginas in 2000. Marginas went on to earn All-America and Sun Belt Player of the Year honors as a senior.
This marks the first time in 37 years of Mean Green volleyball that NT has placed multiple players on an all-conference first team.
Windham leads the Sun Belt with 1.30 blocks per set, and with a .318 attack percentage, is among the most accurate hitters in school history. Her 3.12 kills per set average ranks seventh in the league.
Shining in league play, Dillard ranks second in kills in Sun Belt matches with 4.47 per set. She is the only player in the Sun Belt with at least 450 kills, 250 digs and 80 blocks in 2012.
The No. 3 seed Mean Green now focuses its attention on the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, which begins on Thursday afternoon against No. 6 Middle Tennessee at 2:30 p.m. The Sun Belt Conference will be hosting a free webcast at SunBeltSports.org.
2012 SBC First Team All-Conference
Edina Begic (UALR, Sophomore, OH)
Allison Kearney (Arkansas State, Senior, S)
Carnae Dillard (North Texas, Freshman, OH)
Courtney Windham (North Texas, Junior, OH)
Ashley Potts (WKU, Junior, DS)
Jordyn Skinner (WKU, Senior, OH)
Melanie Stutsman (WKU, Junior, S)
Paige Wessel (WKU, RS-Junior, OH)
2012 SBC Second Team All-Conference
Megan Baska (Arkansas State, Junior, DS/L)
Marija Prsa (FIU, Senior, OH)
Mandi Gavin (Louisiana-Lafayette, Senior, S)
Chelsea Ross (Middle Tennessee, Freshman, OH)
Alexandra Alexander (Troy, Junior, S)
Blair Winston (Troy, Freshman, OH)
Heather Boyan (WKU, Sophomore, MH)
Noelle Langenkamp (WKU, Freshman, MH)
2012 SBC Player of the Year
Edina Begic (UALR, Sophomore, OH)
2012 SBC Defensive Player of the Year
Ashley Potts (WKU, Junior, DS)
2012 SBC Freshman of the Year
Carnae Dillard (North Texas, Freshman, OH)
2012 SBC Coach of the Year
Travis Hudson, WKU
