The Region XIV Conference has recognized the second-ranked Blinn College volleyball team for its 2021 regular-season and Region XIV Tournament accomplishments with 12 player and coach awards.
Fourth-year head coach Terry Gamble was named the Region XIV Coach of the Year after the Buccaneers (38-1) finished the regular season atop the region standings before capturing the Region XIV Tournament championship with a victory over No. 16 Panola College on Saturday, Nov. 6. Blinn’s stretch of success also includes a 37-match win streak and a second consecutive berth in the NJCAA Division I Volleyball Championship, which will be played Thursday, Nov. 18, through Saturday, Nov. 20, at the Hutchinson Sports Arena in Hutchinson, Kan.
Sophomores Jayde Shelton (rightside hitter), Reagan Casey (middle blocker), Guilia Hortelan (outside hitter) and Lixai Perez (libero) each received first-team All-Region XIV Conference honors and sophomore middle blocker/outside hitter Charde Van Zandt was named a second-team selection.
Shelton earned Region XIV Player of the Year honors after leading the Buccaneers with 204 kills and 3.92 kills per set. She also registered a .336 hitting percentage in region matches.
Perez was named the Region XIV Libero of the Year after posting a team-high 153 digs and 2.94 digs per set in region matches. She added 37 service aces against region opponents.
Van Zandt totaled 138 kills against region foes – second behind Shelton – as well as 2.65 kills per set and a .306 hitting percentage.
Casey was named the Region XIV Newcomer of the Year after she finished third on the team with 128 kills in region matches and tallied 2.46 kills per set. She also was first among the Buccaneers with a .379 hitting percentage in region competition.
Following Blinn’s region tournament championship, Hortelan was honored as the Region XIV Tournament Most Valuable Player while Casey and sophomore middle blocker Ashley Taylor were named to the Region XIV All-Tournament team.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 42 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
