The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Photo by: Ken Shepherd
Fernanda Maida and Alex Kells Named to All-Conference Teams
11/18/2021 2:57:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
BIRMINGHAM- After phenomenal seasons that saw each player eclipse 310 kills, Fernanda Maida and Alex Kells were named to the 2021 All-Conference USA Team, as announced by the league office Thursday afternoon. Maida was named First Team All-Conference, and Kells was honored as a Second Team selection.
Maida has had a superb season, scoring 354 kills across 20 games, to go along with 23 service aces, 151 digs, and 24 blocks. The junior from Cochabamba, Bolivia was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the week twice this season. Despite missing four matches with an injury, Maida is currently ranked 6th in the nation in kills per set (4.99). This is the second year in a row that she has been named as a first team all-conference selection.
Kells has had a consistently dominant season, with 317 kills in 24 games. 204 of those kills came in conference play. The Burlington, Ontario Canada native has scored 10+ kills in 20/24 matches this season, including four matches with 18+ kills. Along with her kill numbers, Kells has recorded 19 service aces, 181 digs, and 30 blocks. On the season, Kells has seven double-double matches.
Coach Betsy Freeburg said, "C-USA has some elite players and we are proud to have some UAB student athletes honored amongst them. We are excited to celebrate Alex and Fern and the seasons they have had and also recognize the overall team success for making the conference championship for just the 2nd time since 2013. We have a big challenge ahead of us and it will take every member of the team doing their part. This season, Fern was not coming in under anyone's radar after her 2021 Spring 1st Team All-Conference campaign, and her humility led her to continue to grow her game. She is still one of the best attackers in the country and she has figured out even more ways to score the ball. The biggest area of improvement has been on the defensive side where she's added more double digits dig matches this season than last. Alex has had a terrific season for us so far, and in this last month has had to take on an even larger role. She has such high expectations of herself, and when she is determined about something, she is going to accomplish it. Alex has improved so much in this short time since last season especially in her passing and point scoring ability, and we are happy for her to see that recognized on a conference level."
2021 C-USA VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE AWARD WINNERS
Player of the Year
Lauren Matthews, WKU
Setter of the Year
Carly Graham, Rice
Defensive Player of the Year
Lauren Matthews, WKU
Libero of the Year
Marley Banton, Middle Tennessee
Freshman of the Year
Giada Bianchi, FIU
Coach of the Year
Travis Hudson, WKU
All-Conference USA First Team
Sydney Rowan, Charlotte
Giada Bianchi, FIU
Ciara DeBell, Marshall
Rhett Robinson, North Texas
Anota Adekunle, Rice
Carly Graham, Rice
Nicole Lennon, Rice
Fernanda Maida, UAB
Serena Patterson, UTEP
Paige Briggs, WKU
Nadia Dieudonne, WKU
Lauren Matthews, WKU
All-Conference USA Second Team
Emani' Foster, Charlotte
Amani McArther, Charlotte
McKenzie Johnson, Louisiana Tech
Marley Banton, Middle Tennessee
Samira Lawson Body, Middle Tennessee
Sarah Haeussler, North Texas
Alessia Sgherza, Old Dominion
Ellie Bichelmeyer, Rice
Mia Wesley, Southern Miss
Alex Kells, UAB
Alianza Darley, UTEP
Katie Isenbarger, WKU
Kayland Jackson, WKU
C-USA All-Freshman Team
Giada Bianchi, FIU
Katelyn Robine, Florida Atlantic
McKenzie Johnson, Louisiana Tech
Andrea Owens, North Texas
Myah Conway, Old Dominion
Shaylee Shore, Rice
Ema Uskokovic, UTEP
Katie Howard, WKU
UAB faces Western Kentucky in the first round of the 2021 Conference USA Tournament tomorrow, at 4 p.m. ET.
For more information on the UAB volleyball team, follow @UAB_VB on Twitter and Instagram.
Maida has had a superb season, scoring 354 kills across 20 games, to go along with 23 service aces, 151 digs, and 24 blocks. The junior from Cochabamba, Bolivia was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the week twice this season. Despite missing four matches with an injury, Maida is currently ranked 6th in the nation in kills per set (4.99). This is the second year in a row that she has been named as a first team all-conference selection.
Kells has had a consistently dominant season, with 317 kills in 24 games. 204 of those kills came in conference play. The Burlington, Ontario Canada native has scored 10+ kills in 20/24 matches this season, including four matches with 18+ kills. Along with her kill numbers, Kells has recorded 19 service aces, 181 digs, and 30 blocks. On the season, Kells has seven double-double matches.
Coach Betsy Freeburg said, "C-USA has some elite players and we are proud to have some UAB student athletes honored amongst them. We are excited to celebrate Alex and Fern and the seasons they have had and also recognize the overall team success for making the conference championship for just the 2nd time since 2013. We have a big challenge ahead of us and it will take every member of the team doing their part. This season, Fern was not coming in under anyone's radar after her 2021 Spring 1st Team All-Conference campaign, and her humility led her to continue to grow her game. She is still one of the best attackers in the country and she has figured out even more ways to score the ball. The biggest area of improvement has been on the defensive side where she's added more double digits dig matches this season than last. Alex has had a terrific season for us so far, and in this last month has had to take on an even larger role. She has such high expectations of herself, and when she is determined about something, she is going to accomplish it. Alex has improved so much in this short time since last season especially in her passing and point scoring ability, and we are happy for her to see that recognized on a conference level."
2021 C-USA VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE AWARD WINNERS
Player of the Year
Lauren Matthews, WKU
Setter of the Year
Carly Graham, Rice
Defensive Player of the Year
Lauren Matthews, WKU
Libero of the Year
Marley Banton, Middle Tennessee
Freshman of the Year
Giada Bianchi, FIU
Coach of the Year
Travis Hudson, WKU
All-Conference USA First Team
Sydney Rowan, Charlotte
Giada Bianchi, FIU
Ciara DeBell, Marshall
Rhett Robinson, North Texas
Anota Adekunle, Rice
Carly Graham, Rice
Nicole Lennon, Rice
Fernanda Maida, UAB
Serena Patterson, UTEP
Paige Briggs, WKU
Nadia Dieudonne, WKU
Lauren Matthews, WKU
All-Conference USA Second Team
Emani' Foster, Charlotte
Amani McArther, Charlotte
McKenzie Johnson, Louisiana Tech
Marley Banton, Middle Tennessee
Samira Lawson Body, Middle Tennessee
Sarah Haeussler, North Texas
Alessia Sgherza, Old Dominion
Ellie Bichelmeyer, Rice
Mia Wesley, Southern Miss
Alex Kells, UAB
Alianza Darley, UTEP
Katie Isenbarger, WKU
Kayland Jackson, WKU
C-USA All-Freshman Team
Giada Bianchi, FIU
Katelyn Robine, Florida Atlantic
McKenzie Johnson, Louisiana Tech
Andrea Owens, North Texas
Myah Conway, Old Dominion
Shaylee Shore, Rice
Ema Uskokovic, UTEP
Katie Howard, WKU
UAB faces Western Kentucky in the first round of the 2021 Conference USA Tournament tomorrow, at 4 p.m. ET.
For more information on the UAB volleyball team, follow @UAB_VB on Twitter and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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