DLN ALL-AREA: Girls’ Volleyball First Team, Second Team, Honorable Mention, Coach of the Year
FIRST TEAM
Kelsey Hoff, Villa Maria Academy
Senior setter and captain was Player of the Year for the 21-4 Hurricanes, with 648 assists, 40 aces and 47 kills. Was a Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association all-state selection, as well as an All-AACA pick.
Jess Angeline, Downingtown East
Junior setter was a Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association all-state selection, as well as first team All-District. This fall, she made 719 assists, 39 kills, 175 digs, 19 blocks and 31 aces. Is second all-time in Downingtown East history for career assists (1,192).
Emma Nelson, West Chester Rustin
Senior outside hitter, a two-time Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association all-state selection, is a repeat Daily Local News All-Area first team pick as well. Made 422 kills, 43 digs and 232 digs in 27 games. Is Golden Knights’ all-time kills leader (1,330).
Aly Reardon, Downingtown West
Senior outside hitter and co-captain, a PVCA all-state pick, was the first Whippet to surpass 1,000 career kills. D-West coach Dave Parrish says, “She’s the best outside hitter in Downingtown West history, the best passer on the team the last two years, and was second in digs only to our libero both years.”
Michaela Devlin, Bishop Shanahan
Senior opposite/outside hitter, a Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association all-state selection as well as a first team All-District 1 pick, registered 162 kills, made 78 blocks and compiled a fine .343 hitting percentage. The Sacred Heart-bound senior played outside, middle and right side for the Eagles over her four-year career and became the first Shanahan athlete to win four district titles.
Julianna Gallagher, Bishop Shanahan
Senior libero, a Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association all-state selection as well as a first team All-District 1 and All-Ches-Mont pick, compiled 405 digs as well as 45 aces, and compiled a passer rating of 2.33. The American University-bound senior has been the backbone of the Eagles defense for the past two years and was valued for her relentless determination and leadership.
Julia Thomas, Bishop Shanahan
Senior middle blocker, a Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association all-state selection as well as a first team All-District 1 pick, made 125 kills, compiled a hitting percentage of .344, made 124 blocks as well as 33 aces. The Iona College-bound senior, noted by Coach Greg Ashman as an avid student of all aspects of the game and possessor of a strong work ethic, solidified the Eagles’ front row for the past three years.
SECOND TEAM
Pasha Mottley, Conestoga
Kara Scheik, senior, Villa Maria Academy
Lizzie Acchione, senior, Villa Maria Academy
Alyssa Wright, senior, Bishop Shanahan
Fiona Pyfer, senior, West Chester Henderson
Emily Supplee, junior, West Chester Rustin
Sophie Brenner, sophomore, Unionville
Alivia Orvietto, junior, Villa Maria Academy
HONORABLE MENTION
Jennie Mullen, senior, Great Valley
Alana Cunningham, senior, Great Valley
Zoe Nguyen, senior Kennett
Lindsay Gal, junior, Great Valley
Danielle Stackhouse, senior, Oxford
Emma Klanica, sophomore, West Chester Rustin
Morgan Bitzberger, junior, West Chester Rustin
Kat Tuerff, junior, Unionville
Elizabeth Sauerbaum, junior, Unionville
Victoria Rudolph, senior, Downingtown East
Kaleigh Sheridan, junior, Coatesville
Rachel Wertz, sophomore, Downingtown East
Hailey Lewis, senior, Downingtown West
Audrey Jones, junior, Downingtown West
Amanda Ball, junior, West Chester Henderson
Kelly Thomas, senior, Villa Maria Academy
Kat Chodaczek, senior, Conestoga
Becky Larkin, senior, Conestoga
Eleanor VanRheenen, junior, Conestoga
Coach of the Year
Greg Ashman, Bishop Shanahan
The past 15 years, Bishop Shanahan coach Greg Ashman, the 2018 Daily Local News Girls Volleyball Coach of the Year, has compiled an impressive record.
During Ashman’s tenure, the Eagles have soared to a 309-47 record (157-7 in the Ches-Mont League), 12 Ches-Mont National titles, seven District 1 championships and one PIAA state title (2009). This fall, the Eagles (23-2) won their fourth consecutive district title and advanced to the state championship game for the second straight year,
But all of these laurels haven’t lessened Ashman’s passion for improvement.
“Our goal is to win the state title in 2019,” said Ashman. “We set our expectations high, and because of the success of our program, we know what it takes to win. Our team this fall was a special group – they didn’t feel like they were entitled, but they felt they had something to prove and to earn. They knew success wouldn’t be given to them.”
Shanahan senior Cara Shultz, the Daily Local News Girls Volleyball Player of the Year, appreciates Ashman’s passion for learning.
“Playing for Coach Greg has been awesome, and the most important thing I’ve learned from him is to keep learning,” said Shultz. “There are always areas where you can improve.”
Prior to coaching at Shanahan, Ashman was the head volleyball coach at Rosemont College for several years. He took over the coaching reigns at Shanahan in 2004 when his oldest daughter Cayleigh was a sophomore for the Eagles.
Coaching girls’ volleyball at Shanahan has truly been a family affair for Ashman. He also coached his younger daughters, Ciaran and Ceandra, at Shanahan, and his wife Ann, whom he met as an undergraduate at Millersville University, has been his assistant coach at Shanahan for the past three years.
