RICHARDSON, Texas – McMurry University Volleyball had six players honored on the All-American Southwest Conference teams Wednesday, the most ever as a member of the ASC.
Senior right hitter Justice McGowan and senior outside hitter Jordyn Burnell were each named to the All-ASC West first team, earning a spot on the All-ASC team between the first teams of both divisions. Senior middle blocker Kianni Mitchell, junior middle blocker Megan Martinez, junior setter Lauryn Davis and freshman libero Adile Leal were all named honorable mention. Martinez was named the ASC West Newcomer of the Year, as well.
The announcement comes as the War Hawks prepare for the ASC Volleyball Championship Tournament, held Thursday through Saturday at UT Dallas. McMurry will play Concordia University Texas for the third time this season, with first serve Thursday at 5 p.m.
McGowan is a four time first team All-ASC West and All-ASC honoree, and will go down as the program's all-time attack percentage leader. This season, McGowan has accumulated 233 kills on a .342 attack percentage. She has also added 46 total blocks and 46 digs, and earned three ASC-West Offensive Player of the Week awards this year. She posted a season high of 16 kills twice, and had six games with 10 or more kills and a .400 or better hitting percentage.
Burnell earns her first All-ASC selection and second All-ASC West award. She was a two-way weapon for the War Hawks leading the team in kills (262) and is second in digs (270). On opening weekend, Burnell was named the tournament MVP for the TLU Invitational. She recorded 11 double-doubles and had season highs of 17 kills and 23 digs.
Mitchell was named All-ASC West honorable mention for the second consecutive season, returning from injury late in the year to help McM clinch a tournament berth. Despite the missed playing time, Mitchell still racked up 56 total blocks and 87 kills on a .293 attack percentage. Her 56 blocks were second on the team, but her .97 blocks per set topped the McM front line.
Martinez, a transfer from New Mexico Military Institute, earned All-ASC West honorable mention and was named the ASC West Newcomer of the Year after leading the War Hawks with 64 total blocks and totaling 128 kills on a .315 hitting percentage. She posted a season best 11 kills on a .400 attack percentage in a win over Belhaven. Martinez also led McM with 39 aces.
Davis earns her first career All-ASC West honor after being named honorable mention, leading the War Hawks with 518 assists. She also recorded 207 digs and eight double doubles. She had four games of more than 30 assists with a season high of 34.
Leal stepped into the starting libero position just before the midway point of the season, and leads the team in digs (274) en route to earning All-ASC West honorable mention. She has posted double-digit digs in 12 of her last 13 games with a season high of 25 digs in a win over LeTourneau.
All players rank in the top 10 of the ASC in at least one or more of each statistical category.
As mentioned earlier, the War Hawks will face Concordia Texas in the opening round of the ASC Volleyball Championship Tournament after getting the second wild card spot. The Tornados are the second seed from the West Division. Division winners UT Dallas and Mary Hardin-Baylor will receive first round byes, while the other opening round matchup will face the second seed from the East, LeTourneau, against the first wild card, Hardin-Simmons.
The semifinal matches will take place Friday, with the championship match Saturday at 1 p.m. The winner will receive an automatic berth to the NCAA III Volleyball Tournament.
