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GLIAC Honors: AUs Cudworth, Freshman of the Year; FSU’s Merren, Libero of the Year, GVSU’s Scanlon, Coach of the Year

    BAY CITY, Mich. - Grand Valley State University junior outside hitter Abby Aiken (Onsted, Mich.) was named the 2013 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) volleyball “Athlete of the Year” in voting conducted by the league’s head coaches. Ashland University outside hitter Alli Cudworth (Kent, Ohio / Theodore Roosevelt) was tabbed  “Freshman of the Year” while Ferris State University senior Brandie Merren (Hopkins, Mich.) earned “Libero of the Year” honors.  GVSU’s Deanne Scanlon was named “Coach of the Year” by her peers.

    Aiken becomes the fifth Laker to be named GLIAC “Athlete of the Year,” as she helped GVSU win the GLIAC championship with a 17-1 league mark. Aiken is the top offensive option for Grand Valley State, which enters the GLIAC semifinals with a 27-3 record; the Lakers have won 25 of their last 26 matches. She ranks fifth in the GLIAC in kills per set (3.40) and seventh in total kills (360) despite a majority of the Lakers’ matches (17 of 30) being just three sets. Aiken is second on the team in digs (330), service aces (33), and solo blocks (13), while ranking third in total blocks (57). Totaling nine double-doubles (kills-digs) this season, she is averaging 4.04 points, 3.40 kills, and 3.11 digs per set. Aiken is the first GLIAC “Athlete of the Year” from GVSU since 2008.

    Cudworth currently ranks third in the GLIAC in kills (401) and kills per set (3.78). She leads the Eagles in both categories. Cudworth has been named the GLIAC South Division “Player of the Week” three times this season. She has led AU (24-6) into the GLIAC semifinals. The Eagles enter the Final Four with a 10-match winning streak and are ranked sixth in the Midwest Region.

    Merren leads the Bulldogs with 503 digs to date this campaign. The returning all-region honoree and two-time all-conference pick became the 14th player in school history earlier this season to notch 1,000 career digs. A three-year letterwinner, she’s averaged 4.75 digs while helping lead the Bulldogs to a potential NCAA Division II Tournament berth and top 25 national ranking this campaign. This season, she’s played in all 106 sets and has tallied 10 digs or more in 26 matches with 11 performances featuring 20 or more digs. She’s also added a team second-best 26 service aces and ranked near the top of the conference leaderboard in total digs this season. Her performance helped the Bulldogs tie for second place overall in the GLIAC regular-season standings this year.

    Scanlon was named the GLIAC “Coach of the Year” for the fourth time in her career, also winning the award in 2001, 2005, and 2008. She led Grand Valley State to the GLIAC regular season championship and the #1 seed in the conference tournament. The Lakers are 27-3 entering Saturday’s GLIAC semifinal match, while GVSU went 17-1 in regular season league play. Grand Valley State is on a 17-match win streak, having won 25 of its last 26 contests. Selected to finish in a tie for third place in the North Division of the GLIAC preseason poll, the Lakers are 5-1 against top-25 opponents and have lost just five sets in their last 17 matches. Scanlon’s career record in 19 seasons at GVSU is 495-146 (.772).

A complete list of the 2013 All-GLIAC Volleyball teams can be found below: