Release Link: http://usasouth.net/sports/ wvball/2017-18/releases/ 20171024o8rfos

(FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.) - The USA South Athletic Conference has announced its 2017 All-Conference awards for volleyball. Averett University's Hannah Shields was named the Player of the Year while her coach Danny Miller earned Coach of the Year honors. Salem College's Maggie Hawks collected Rookie of the Year accolades while William Peace University's Carson Williams named Libero of the Year. Also, the USA South recognized an All-Sportsmanship Team consisting of one member from each competing school.

All awards are voted on by the volleyball coach at each institution. The divisional team voting is completed only by those coaches in the particular division. The all-conference and individual award voting is completed by all coaches.

Maggie Hawks became the first Salem volleyball player to earn USA South Rookie of the Year honors. She was joined by Taylor Moulton on the USA South East Division Second Team. Alexis Sunderland was chosen as Salem's member on the USA South All-Sportsmanship Team.

Hawks, a freshman libero from Mount Airy, North Carolina, becomes the first Spirit to earn an individual USA South honor in the sport of volleyball in the program's short League history. She currently leads all rookies and is second in the Conference in total digs with 587 while fourth in digs per set with 5.24. Hawks also accumulated 65 assists and 24 service aces this season. Against USA South opposition alone, she again was the leading rookie in the categories of digs and digs per set, both of which ranked her fourth among all Conference performers. For her efforts this season, Hawks received Second Team East Division honors while being named USA South Defensive Player of the Week three times.

The 2017 USA South Volleyball All-Conference Team: