Holy Family's Chase Wassel Named 2018 CACC Volleyball Player of the Year as All-League Teams Announced

Holy Family's Chase Wassel Named 2018 CACC Volleyball Player of the Year as All-League Teams Announced

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (November 6, 2018) -- Holy Family University standout Chase Wassel on Tuesday was named the 2018 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Women's Volleyball Player of the Year, as announced by Commissioner Dan Mara. Wassel's major award highlighted a list of other major-award winners and all-conference honorees for the 2018 season. The voting for all the awards was done by the league's 14 head coaches in the sport.

Joining Wassel as a major-award winner included teammate Morgan Silks (2018 Rookie & Setter of the Year), Wilmington University's Jenna Brown (2018 Defensive Player of the Year) and Holy Family's Jeff Rotondo (2018 Coach of the Year).

Wassel had an amazing regular season, as she helped guide the Tigers to the CACC South Division Championship and the No. 1 overall seed in this week's conference championship tournament. She leads the CACC in kills (530), kills per set (4.86), total attacks (1,303), service aces (64), service aces per set (0.59), points (626.5) and points per set (5.7). Wassel also ranks among the top-five national leaders in nearly all of the categories listed above.

Silks has had a terrific debut season at the collegiate level, as she was named the rookie of the year, while also garnering the inaugural setter-of-the-year accolade. She leads the league in assists (1,237) and assists per set (11.56). Silks also ranks sixth in the CACC with 42 service aces.

Brown was named the league's top defensive player, as she paces the CACC with 599 digs and ranks second in digs per set at 5.08.

Rotondo was named the CACC Coach of the Year for guiding HFU to a 26-5 overall record during the regular season, including a stellar 18-1 mark in conference play to claim the South Division Championship. The Tigers are also ranked fifth in the latest NCAA Division II East Region Poll.

The other major award handed out on Tuesday was the 2018 CACC Team Sportsmanship Award, which was given to Nyack College for demonstrating outstanding character and commitment during the season.

Wassel, Silks and Brown also garnered spots on the All-CACC First Team. Wassel landed at one of the outside hitter positions, while Silks was named the setter on the team, and Brown was tabbed as libero on the first unit.

2018 CACC VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Chase Wassel (Holy Family University)

2018 CACC VOLLEYBALL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Morgan Silks (Holy Family University)

2018 CACC VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jenna Brown (Wilmington University)

2018 CACC VOLLEYBALL SETTER OF THE YEAR
Morgan Silks (Holy Family University)

2018 CACC VOLLEYBALL COACH OF THE YEAR
Jeff Rotondo (Holy Family University)

2018 CACC VOLLEYBALL TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Nyack College

2018 CACC VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
OH Madison Hunziker (Post University)
OH Elise Smith (Caldwell University)
OH Chase Wassel (Holy Family University)
MB Amy Bruno (Georgian Court University)
MB Kyra Zuhlke (Nyack College)
L Jenna Brown (Wilmington University)
S Morgan Silks (Holy Family University) 

2018 CACC VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
OH Mandy Behiels (Wilmington University)
OH Peggy Rosario (Georgian Court University)
OH Courtney Wensel (Jefferson)
MB Logan Dontell (Jefferson)
MB Gianna Pesognelli (Holy Family)
L Jillian Boyle (Holy Family University)
S Brianna Root (Post University)

2018 CACC VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE THIRD TEAM
OH Kahea Aea (Felician University)
OH Shayla Boyce (Goldey-Beacom College)
OH Lindsay Przywara (Goldey-Beacom College)
MB Rylie Arms (Post University)
MB Rebecca Rawlinson (Wilmington University)
L Alexis Leddy (Jefferson)
S Alexandra Harrington (Jefferson)

The all-conference and major-award honorees will be recognized Friday night at the CACC Volleyball Championship Banquet in Toms River, N.J., on the eve of the 2018 semifinals. Saturday's semifinals and Sunday's championship final will be held at The Wellness Center on the Georgian Court University campus in Lakewood, N.J.


ABOUT THE CACC
The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference is an NCAA Division II Conference composed of 14 institutions in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. The member institutions are Bloomfield College, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Concordia (N.Y.) College, Dominican (N.Y.) College, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University), Nyack College, Post University of Waterbury, University of the Sciences, and Wilmington University.