IRVING, Texas – SMU, the 2023 American Athletic Conference volleyball champions, earned four of the five major awards for the 2023 American Athletic Conference volleyball season. The American officially announced its all-conference teams and individual award winners, as voted on by the league’s 14 head coaches, on Tuesday.
The Mustangs become the second team to win four of the five major awards, joining the 2015 SMU squad who accomplished the same feat. Graduate middle blocker Emma Clothier was named Player of the Year, graduate Sina Uluave was named Libero of the Year, senior Celia Cullen was named Setter of the Year and second year head coach Sam Erger was voted Coach of the Year. Tulane’s freshman outside hitter Avery Burks was voted Freshman of the Year.
A total of 20 players from nine member institutions earned American all-conference awards, as SMU led the way with five total honorees (four on the first team). Wichita State added four selections, while Rice and South Florida both had three. SMU’s Clothier, Cullen and junior outside hitter Jamison Wheeler, along with Wichita State junior middle blocker Natalie Foster, were all unanimous selections.
Clothier becomes the second Mustang to earn Player of the Year, joining Avery Acker (2015). In conference play, Clothier averaged 4.02 points per set and hit .393 across 399 attacks. Defensively, she finished with 69 total blocks (1.10 blocks per set). Clothier had double-digit points in 16 of the 19 conference matches, including a season-high 22.5 points at UTSA on September 23.
This is the fourth time a Mustang has won Libero of the Year, as Uluave joins Morgan Heise (2014, 2015, 2016). Uluave averaged 4.57 digs per set in conference play. She had double-digit digs in 17 of the 19 conference matches, including five matches with over 20 digs. She had a season-high 26 digs in a win over Rice on October 21.
Cullen becomes the third Mustang to be named Setter of the Year and marks the fourth time SMU has earned the award (Avery Acker – 2013, 2015; Lily Heim – 2019). Cullen led The American in assists per set in conference action (11.33) and ranks 23rd in the NCAA in assists per set on the season (10.56). She helped pace the Mustangs to a league-best .277 attack percentage.
Burks becomes the first Freshman of the Year recipient for Tulane. Burks finished 9th in The American in kills per set with 3.21, while scoring 3.53 points per set. She posted double-digit kills in 14 conference matches, including a career-high 24 kills against Wichita State on October 13.
Erger earns her first American Coach of the Year honor and second for SMU (Lisa Seifert, 2015) after leading the Mustangs to its third American Athletic Conference Championship (2015, 2016) and earning the league’s automatic bid to the 2023 NCAA Volleyball Championship. The Mustangs reached the NCAA Volleyball Championship for the first time since 2016 after finishing with a program-record .947 winning percent (18-1) in conference play, which included a 15-match winning streak to end the season.
2023 American Athletic Conference Women’s Volleyball Regular-Season Awards
Player of the Year
Emma Clothier, Gr., MB, SMU
Libero of the Year
Sina Uluave, Gr., SMU
Setter of the Year
Celia Cullen, Sr., SMU
Freshman of the Year
Avery Burks, OH, Tulane
Coach of the Year
Sam Erger, SMU
First Team All-Conference
Angeles Alderete, So., OH, East Carolina
Sh’Diamond, Holly, Sr., MB, North Texas
Emilia Weske, Gr., RS, Rice*
Maria Clara Andrade, So., OH, South Florida
Buse Hazan, So., OH, South Florida
Emma Clothier, Gr., MB, SMU*
Celia Cullen, Sr., S, SMU*
Sina Uluave, Sr., L, SMU
Jamison Wheeler, Jr., OH, SMU*
Kayley Cassaday, Gr., OH, Tulsa
Natalie Foster, Jr., MB, Wichita State*
Sophia Rohling, Sr., OPP, Wichita State
*denotes unanimous selection
Second Team All-Conference
Valeria Rosado, Jr., OH/RS, Florida Atlantic
Danyle Courtley, Sr., OH, Rice
Nia McCardell, Sr., L, Rice
Caroline Dykes, Jr., S, South Florida
Natalie Perdue, Sr., OH, SMU
Mia Soerensen, So., OPP, UTSA
Morgan Stout, R-Jr., MB, Wichita State
Izzi Strand, Sr., S, Wichita State
