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Rio Grande's Amanda Rarick (top left) and Avery Huntzinger (top right) were named to the All-River States Conference Volleyball First Team, while Jess Youse (lower left) and Shalea Byrd (lower right) were named to the All-RSC Second Team.
Rio Grande's Amanda Rarick (top left) and Avery Huntzinger (top right) were named to the All-River States Conference Volleyball First Team, while Jess Youse (lower left) and Shalea Byrd (lower right) were named to the All-RSC Second Team.
Posted: Nov 11, 2022

Rio foursome named to All-RSC Volleyball teams

Rio Grande/RSC Sports Information
     PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The University of Rio Grande placed two players each on the 2022 All-River States Conference Volleyball first and second teams.
     League officials announced all-conference teams and individual award winners during Friday's opening day of the RSC Volleyball Championship, which is being hosted by Point Park University.
     Junior outside hitter Amanda Rarick and sophomore setter Avery Huntzinger - both of whom hail from Canal Winchester, Ohio - were both named to the All-RSC First Team, while senior middle hitter Jess Youse (Pettisville, OH) and junior middle hitter Shalea Byrd (Canal Winchester, OH) both were second team selections.
     Rarick led Rio in regular season play with 425 kills and was third with 45 total blocks (4 solos, 41 assists), while Huntzinger piled up 1,108 assists to surpass the 2,000-mark for her career. Huntzinger also ranked second on the team with 25 service aces and 242 digs and was fourth with 33 total blocks (2 solos, 31 assists).
     Youse ranked third on head coach Billina Donaldson's squad with 222 kills - surpassing the 1,000-mark for her career - and led the RedStorm with 112 total blocks (29 solos, 83 assists). She also tied for third with 20 service aces.
     Byrd was fourth in kills (207) and second in blocks with 68 (19 solos, 48 assists).
     The all-conference teams were selected through balloting of the league's 13 head coaches.
     Point Park's Stephanie Rivera-Pacheco led the individual honorees as the RSC Player of the Year. The regular season champion Pioneers also had the RSC Coach of the Year in Bridget Bielich and RSC Assistant Coach of the Year in Destiny Tucker.
     Reece Shirley from Indiana University East was named RSC Setter of the Year, while Indiana University Kokomo's Alyvia Smith was tabbed RSC Defensive Player of the Year and IUK's Lexi Broyles was named RSC Freshman of the Year.
     In addition to Rarick, Huntzinger, Rivera-Pacheco, Shirley, Smith and Broyles the 14-player First Team also featured Jessica Swimm and Teah Barrett Matthews from IU East, Midway's Aubry Koester, Joceyn Chavez and Hannah Zuege from St. Mary-of-the-Woods, IU Kokomo's Kaley Lyons, Madison Sima from Point Park and Ohio Christian's Madison Blickenstaff.
     The conference also named its Champions of Character and Scholar-Athlete teams.
     Junior Kyli Ricker (Plain City, OH) was Rio's representative on the Champions of Character team, which included one member from each school nominated by their coach for best displaying the NAIA Champions of Characteer traits of respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship.
     The Scholar-Athlete Team included those with a 3.25 GPA or higher playing the sport of volleyball with at least two semesters at their current institution.
     Representing the RedStorm on the scholar list was Rarick, Huntzinger, Youse, Ricker, sophomore Malerie Stanley (Gallipolis, OH), sophomore Jordan Brooks (Reynoldsburg, OH), junior Lyndsey Skeens (Chillicothe, OH), junior Darcie Walters (Sparta, OH), senior Kacie Trame (Toledo, OH) and senior Haylee King (Ripley, OH).
     For a complete list of award winners, check out the volleyball page at www.riverstatesconference.com.