Scots Win Three Individual Awards, Four on All-NCAC Teams

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The College of Wooster collected three of the North Coast Athletic Conference's four individual awards, highlighted by senior Ali Drushal (Lakeville, Ohio / West Holmes) being named the NCAC Libero of the Year for the third-consecutive season as announced by league officials on Saturday in conjunction with the NCAC Tournament championship match. Joining Drushal on the all-league first team was junior middle hitter KateLynn Riley (Westlake, Ohio / Westlake), while senior outside hitter Megan Earle (Middleburg Hts., Ohio/Midpark) was tabbed an all-NCAC honorable mention recipient.

Freshman setter Lizzi Beal (Bowling Green, Ky./Greenwood) was selected the NCAC Newcomer of the Year and found a spot on the honorable mention squad, and head coach Sarah Davis picked up her first NCAC Coach of the Year award. Drushal notched her third all-conference recognition in volleyball, earning her second-straight spot on the first-team after a second-team laurel in 2006. Drushal registered 734 digs, leading the NCAC in digs per set (6.55). Over her four seasons in the back row for the Scots, she amassed a conference-record 3,043 digs, and became just the 10th player in the history of NCAA women's volleyball, regardless of division, to amass 3,000 or more career digs.

Riley solidified herself as one of the premier hitters in the NCAC, garnering her first career postseason conference honor. She was an all-around producer for the Scots, leading the league in kills (447), kills per set (3.85) total points (572.5), total points per set (4.94). Her 447 kills are the fourth-most in Wooster single-season history, giving her 1,076 kills headed into her senior season. In addition, Riley led the Wooster defense at the net, recording 38 solo blocks and 75 block assists for 0.97 blocks per set, the second-highest total in the league, and paced the Wooster service game tallying 50 service aces. 

Stepping in right away to lead the Wooster offense, Beal dished out 1,095 assists, the fifth-highest total in single-season school history, for a 9.12 assist per set mark, the second-best mark in the league, while smacking down 101 kills on 301 attempts. Behind the service line, she was second on the team with 33 service aces along with racking up four solo blocks and 31 block assists at the net.

Concluding a solid all-around four-year stint, Earle was a force both offensively and defensively for Wooster. She finished second on the team with 268 kills, giving her 703 for her career. Earle was second on the squad with 476 digs and a 4.00 digs per set average, good for seventh in the league. A versatile player, she racked up 1,488 career digs, moving her into third-place in the Wooster laurels.

For the season, Wooster notched its fourth 20-win season in the last seven campaigns with a 20-13 overall record and a 13-3 record in league action, good for second-place. Also of note, the Scots concluded their season going 10-3 over the final 13 matches after a 10-9 start, before falling in the NCAC Tournament semifinals to Hiram College, 3-0.