LEXINGTON, Ky. --- Five ODAC standouts earned recognition in the final set of awards announced by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) on Tuesday. Bridgewater outside Rachel Gaston along with Randolph-Macon middle Sydney Koch, Virginia Wesleyan middle Amber Matalus, and Washington and Lee middle Courtney Berry and outside Brynne Gould earned selection to the Division III Honorable Mention All-America squad.
This is the 39th annual AVCA All-America teams for NCAA Division III women's volleyball. The awards will be presented Nov. 20 at the NCAA Division III Women's National Championship banquet in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where the 2019 TeamSnap/AVCA Division III Player of the Year will be announced. The NCAA Division III National Quarterfinals begin Nov. 21. The awards were selected by the AVCA Division III All-America Committee following the determination of the AVCA All-Region Teams.
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Gaston, a senior from Mechanicsville, Va., adds this to back-to-back ODAC Player of the Year awards. She totaled 389 kills and 394 digs in her final season as an Eagle. She finished the year second in the conference in kills per set (3.93) and third in total kills (389). What sets Gaston apart is her ability as an all-around player. She ranked eighth in the ODAC in digs per set (3.98) and total digs (394), making her the only player in the conference in the top ten of all hitting and passing statistical categories. Gaston broke 1,000 kills this season and totaled 1,146 kills during her four years, placing her fourth all-time in Bridgewater history. She also recorded the fourth most kills in a match in Bridgewater history with 25 against Catholic on August 31. The two-time player of the year collected 19 double-doubles to go with 24 service aces and 32 blocks.
Koch, a sophomore from Raleigh, N.C., led the ODAC in hitting percentage this season. The Yellow Jackets middle blocker hit at a .380 clip this season, finishing with 254 kills, which was third most on the team. She added 100 blocks and 323.5 points, which was second on the team in both categories. Koch earned an All-ODAC First Team nod from the league's head coaches.
Matalus, a senior from Colorado Springs, Colo., is now a two-time All-American after earning this same laurel last season. Matalus helped lead Virginia Wesleyan on an historic season that featured a program-record 28 victories at its first ODAC trophy. Her 369 kills not only led the team but also was the most of any middle hitter in the ODAC and fourth-most of any player. She ranked third in the conference with a .347 attack percentage. This year, Matalus reached the double-digit kill mark in 17 matches including a six-match streak to close out the season. Her top performance may have been in the ODAC Championship final as she matched a career-high with 18 kills. She set a career-high with 99 total blocks this season, which ranked fifth in the ODAC. In an early season win over Galluadet, she posted a nine block match (two solo, seven assist), setting a new career-best. Despite playing only one rotation in the back row, Matalus also notched 116 digs and 35 aces.
Berry, a junior from Charlottesville, Va., and Gould, a junior from Boone, N.C., are the 11th and 12th Generals to earn All-American honors in program history. Berry, a first team All-ODAC choice, led the ODAC in blocks this year with 123, was third in blocks per set (1.04), ninth in kills (284) and third in hitting percentage (.343). Out of the players in the conference with at least 250 kills, Berry had the highest hitting percentage. She tallied double-digit kills in 11 matches this season and had at least five blocks in 11 contests. Berry's 123 blocks this year are the fourth-most in a single-season in program history. She now has 335 blocks over her three seasons, which is the sixth-most in W&L history. Berry also has a career hitting percentage of .340, which currently is third on the program's all-time list.
Gould, also an All-ODAC First Team pick, led the ODAC this year in total kills with 464, was first in points (516.6), third in kills per set (3.77) and ninth in digs (384). Gould had double-digit kills in 25 matches and at least 10 digs in 23 contests. In all, she registered 18 double-doubles. The 464 kills Gould tallied this season mark the third-most in a single-season in program history and the most since Michelle Chastain '04 set the W&L record of 475 in 2002. In the semifinals of the ODAC Tournament on November 8, Gould eclipsed 1,000 kills for her career, becoming the 13th player in program history to reach the milestone. She has 1,017 kills in 97 career matches.