DALLAS – Conference USA announced its Volleyball All-Conference Awards Thursday ahead of the 2022 C-USA Volleyball Championships. A total of eight Conference USA programs collected at least one all-conference selection, with seven earning at least two or more. UTEP and WKU led all C-USA programs with six selections, while Rice was second with five honors.
The UTEP volleyball program continues to make history as the 2022 season doubled the number of selected members for All-Conference honors in a single season. Looking back, the program has only secured three spots on All-Conference teams during the 2021, 2020-21, 2016, 2012, 2011, 2005, and 1996 campaigns.
C-USA All-Conference Second Team
Alianza Darley, Middle Blocker/Outside Hitter
Darley was in the top 5 in the NCAA as a middle blocker for most of the year until her move to the Pin for the Miners in C-USA play, with over 1.0 blocks per set and has a massive impact on the game from a blocking standpoint with her athleticism. Darley has been a tear in C-USA play after being moved back to the opposite position. In C-USA play, Darley is hitting .292 on the Pin (2.05 kills per set) and has been one of the best stoppers in all C-USA and the NCAA all year. She blocked 1.14 blocks per set on the year and .95 in confernce play as an opposite which leads all non-middles in blocks per set and 3.05 points per set in C-USA for UTEP. As a Pin player, Darley is one of the most dominating forces at the net as a blocker and attacker that you can find in the conference and has really impacted the game for UTEP since her move back to the Pin in C-USA play.
Torrance Lovesee, Outside Hitter
Lovesee was named back-to-back C-USA Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 26; Oct. 3) and Co-Freshman of the Week (Nov. 14) for her efforts in the kills, blocks, and serving categories. She's hitting an efficient .230 on the year for a red-shirt freshmen outside hitter and .247 in C-USA play. She tops the Miner leaderboard in kills (273) and points (324.5, 3.21 points per set) on the year. She added 23 aces (15 in C-USA) on the year and is a primary ball handler though she doesn't stay on the floor for the Miners in all six rotations. She's one of the premiere scorers in C-USA and has had a big impact on the Miner offense in 2022.
Serena Patterson, Outside Hitter
Patterson has been the jack of all trades for the Miners this year, moving from opposite to outside hitter on several occasions because of injury and has done it without skipping a beat. In C-USA play Patterson is hitting .259 as a left and right for the Miner offense and is second in points in C-USA play at 2.59 points per set. Her impact as a blocker, scorer, and server have been felt in C-USA play and she excelled at all three. She has been asked to be a primary passer in several matches and sets for the Miners and is always up to the task. As a 2021 All-Conference First Team and 2020 All-Conference Second Team selection, Patterson has always been a consistent and tough contributor to the UTEP Miner Volleyball program throughout her final season.
C-USA All-Freshman Team
Mattie Gantt, Setter
Gantt has started every match for UTEP this year as a true freshman albeit in a two-setter offence. She leads the team in assists, percentage, and was Co-Setter of the Week (Oct. 24) after her 40 assist-55% combined performances versus UTSA and Charlotte. She ranked eighth in aces for C-USA and has played every set for the third place Miners.
Sara Pustahija, Outside Hitter
Pustahija tabbed four Freshman of the Week honors (Aug. 29; Oct. 3, 10, 24) for her outstanding efforts in conference play as the only six-rotation outside hitter consistently starting and playing for her team in the conference this season. She is in the top 10 in the conference in aces, top 50 nationally and is first on the UTEP roster in aces and second in points. She has had five double-doubles for the Miners in 2022 and is the primary six-rotation outside hitter for the third-place team in C-USA. She's led the Miners in kills eight times on the year and has separated herself from the other freshmen in the conference by contributing to every match as a complete outside hitter. No other freshman has done, or been asked to do, more for her team than Pustahija has this fall.
Kaya Weaver, Middle Blocker
Weaver has started every match for the Miners as a true freshman in C-USA play. She's second on the team in hitting percentage at .325 behind senior Vittoria Price at .345. She's also leading the Miners in blocks per set at 1.14 and that landed her fourth in C-USA play behind only three senior middle blockers. Weaver was named Freshmen of the Week (Sept. 26) for her outstanding performances versus FIU and FAU.
UTEP volleyball will face off against Charlotte in the quarterfinals of the 2022 C-USA Volleyball Tournament Friday, Nov. 18 at 6 p.m. MT at Diddle Arena on the campus of Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 29 and the championship match will be played Sunday, Nov. 20 at 12 p.m. MT.
For complete coverage of UTEP Women's Volleyball, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @utepvb (Instagram) @UTEPVolleyball (Facebook) and @UTEPVB (Twitter) or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.
