Isaksen Picked as AVCA New York Region Player of the Year, Pairs with Reusch as NY Region First-Team All-Stars

A day after receiving Liberty League First-Team All-Star honors, juniors Kate Isaksen and Rachel Reusch of the Clarkson University Volleyball team earned more awards when they were chosen as AVCA New York Region First-Team All-Stars.

Isaksen, who was picked as the AVCA New York Region Player of the Year, was chosen to the AVCA New York Region First-Team for the second straight year, while Reusch earned the honor for the first time after being named an AVCA New York Region Honorable Mention All-Star in both 2016 and 2017. Only 14 players in the New York Region are chosen to the First-Team, with six additional players earning Honorable Mention. Those picked at the top level in each region advance to the AVCA All-American ballot, and selections will be announced next week.

AVCA Division III Regional Award release

Isaksen, an AVCA All-American Third-Team pick in 2017, led the nation in digs per set last year but had to settle for runner-up status in 2018 despite averaging 7.97 digs per set, the third-highest figure at NCAA Division III since the sport changed to the 25-points per set system in 2008. Her 901 total digs led the country this year, and is the seventh-highest figure since 2008, just 32 short of the national mark. Isaksen also currently ranks third on the active leaderboard for digs with 2489, making her the only junior in the country to rank in the top 20 and the only one with more than 2000 digs through three seasons. Her 6.86 digs per set through three collegiate seasons places her fourth all-time in that category at the national level.

While Isaksen provided an outstanding effort from the back row, Reusch was busy at the net on both offense and defense. She ranked second in the conference with 1.00 blocks per set (41-72-113), with her 41 solo blocks nearly double that of the next player in the Liberty League (21). She tied for the national lead in solo blocks and had more than three entire teams in the conference while tying with a fourth in the league. In addition to her blocking prowess, Reusch also made life difficult for the opposition with 3.51 kills per set and a .342 hitting percentage. Her kills mark ranked her fifth in the league and the hitting percentage was third. Reusch's 958 career kills puts her on track to join the 1000-kill club early next year, while her 2.809 kills per set is the fifth best figure in program history and the highest average by a middle hitter.

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Players Mentioned

#17 Kate Isaksen: L; 5' 9"; Junior

#12 Rachel Reusch: MH; 6' 2"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#17 Kate Isaksen
: 5' 9"; Junior
: L

#12 Rachel Reusch
: 6' 2"; Junior
: MH

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

#17 Kate Isaksen

#12 Rachel Reusch

Players Mentioned

#17 Kate Isaksen

#12 Rachel Reusch