CIAA Announces 2022 Volleyball All-Conference Teams

CHARLOTTE, NC – The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) announces its 2022 Volleyball All-Conference teams and superlatives as voted on by the CIAA Volleyball Coaches Association and Sports Information Directors Association. This season’s selections are headlined by Offensive Player of the Year Noelani Beard of Shaw University, Defensive Player of the Year Naijya Leggett of Elizabeth City State University, and Setter of the Year Breelyn Clark of Shaw University.
Beard, a junior from Kaneohe, HI, led the CIAA in total kills (314), kills per set (3.69), points (374), and points per set (4.40). The outside hitter also ranked eighth in the league with a .265 hitting percentage. In 15 conference matches, Beard upped her level of play, leading the conference with 4.23 kills per set and 5.18 points per set while guiding Shaw to the top seed in the 2022 CIAA Volleyball Championship and a 15-1 conference record.

Leggett, a native of Atlanta, GA, finished second in the CIAA with 363 total digs and averaged 3.63 digs per set. The sophomore totaled 201 digs and a 3.65 average in conference action, helping the Vikings to a 15-1 mark in CIAA play.

Clark, a native of Mililani, HI, led the conference with 836 assists and 9.84 assists per set throughout the regular season and has been awarded setter of the year by the league for consecutive years (2021 & 2022) now. This season, the junior setter raised her play in conference action, recording 525 assists and 10.71 assists per game while Shaw finished with a 21-7 overall record.

Leading the 2022 CIAA All-Rookie Team is Rookie of the Year Clarke Blakemore of Elizabeth City State University. A middle blocker from Knoxville, TN, Blakemore led the CIAA with 74 total blocks, including 32 solo blocks. The first-year standout was seventh in the league with a .267 hitting percentage and finished the regular season with 204 points and 151 kills.

Shaw’s seven All-CIAA selections are the most in the conference, followed by six selections for Elizabeth City State, and three for Fayetteville State. ECSU and Virginia Union each had two all-rookie selections, the most in the conference.

Offensive Player of the Year – Noelani Beard, Shaw
Defensive Player of the Year – Naijya Leggett, Elizabeth City State
Setter of the Year – Breelyn Clark, Shaw
Rookie of the Year – Clarke Blakemore, Elizabeth City State

2022 All-CIAA Volleyball First Team

Libero
Naijya Leggett, Elizabeth City State

Middle Hitter/Blocker
Clarke Blakemore, Elizabeth City State
Kamille Patrick, Shaw
Xiamana Spikes, Fayetteville State

Outside Hitter
Noelani Beard, Shaw
Jailyn Ivey, Bowie State
Jada Rouse, Elizabeth City State

Right Side Hitter
Elizabeth Kellum, Elizabeth City State
Ilani Myers, Shaw

Setter
Breelyn Clark, Shaw
Sydney Moore, St. Augustine’s

Utility
Lindsey Grossman, Bowie State

2022 All-CIAA Volleyball Second Team

Libero
Najlaa Williams, Virginia State

Middle Hitter/Blocker
Cheyenne Hodges, Shaw
Madison Jones, St. Augustine’s
Breona Young, Winston-Salem State

Outside Hitter
Mallory Brown, Shaw
Victoria White, Elizabeth City State
Amilex Lopez-Ayala, Virginia Union

Right Side Hitter
Amaya Cooper, Virginia State
Kailyn Williams, Fayetteville State

Setter
Kayleigh Sullivan, Elizabeth City State
Jaida Bynum, Fayetteville State

Utility
Ilani Myers, Shaw

All-Rookie Team
Clarke Blakemore, Elizabeth City State
Amaya Cooper, Virginia State
Aireanna Johnson, Virginia Union
Maci Keys, Elizabeth City State
Khamare Steppe, Shaw
Ashlee Franklin, Virginia Union

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