Crook Named to American All-Conference First Team

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - UAB Volleyball's Jorda Crook received her second straight nod to the All-American Conference First Team, as announced by the conference, Thursday morning. Crook earns the honor just three days removed from becoming the first back-to-back-to-back Offensive Player of the Week honoree in program history. Crook is the ninth player in UAB history to receive multiple first-team all-conference selections, and the first since the Blazers joined the American.

The Ohatchee, Ala., native finished the conference season with an American-best 264 kills across 59 sets, hitting .228. Playing six rotations for the majority of the season, Crook had 106 digs, second-best among UAB attackers, and led Blazer pins with 40 total blocks in conference play. A threat from the service line as well, Crook had 14 aces in her 16 matches.

Although she notched a conference-best mark in total kills, Crook finished third in kills per set with 4.47, just narrowly behind other first-team honorees, Maria Clara Andrade (4.55) and Taylor Preston (4.54). Crook's blocking ability jumped her into second in points per set with 5.08, just 0.03 points per set behind American Player of the Year, Andrade (5.11). Crook led the conference in total points with 299.5.

Though dominant throughout the season, Crook heated up at the end of the year, winning three-straight American Offensive Player of the Week awards to close out the season. Crook's first award followed a career-high 25 kills in four sets at Tulane, averaging 5.00 kills per set for the week. Crook duplicated her weekly performance with another 5.00 kill per set week with wins over Memphis and South Florida, helping the Blazers to their first four-match win streak in conference play since 2012. Crook finished the season with her best week, averaging 5.25 kills per set with 24 at East Carolina and 18 in a sweep victory to finish the season at Charlotte, hitting .311 against the 49ers.

Crook led the Blazers in kills in all 16 conference matches, with double-digit kills in all 16 competitions. She registered two double-doubles, coming in back-to-back matches. Her 17 kills and 10 digs at Wichita State were followed by 16 kills and a conference season-best 11 digs vs Tulane.

Other notable performances throughout the season include her 18 kills and nine digs in three sets vs Tulsa on Oct. 19 and a 19-kill night at Temple on Oct. 24.

Full Awards List
Player of the Year
Maria Clara Andrade, Sr., OH, South Florida

Libero of the Year
Annika Thompson, Sr., L, Charlotte

Setter of the Year
Brayden Hipp, Sr., S, Tulsa

Freshman of the Year
Jill Hanson, Fr., MB, Tulsa

Coach of the Year
Genny Volpe, Rice

First Team All-Conference
Jorda Crook, Jr., OPP, UAB
Kristen Birmingham, Sr., OH, Charlotte
Jessica Ricks, Gr., OPP, Charlotte
Annika Thompson, Sr., L, Charlotte
Kaia Mateo, Jr., S, Rice
Taylor Preston, Sr., OH, Rice
Maria Clara Andrade, Sr., OH, South Florida
Raegan Richardson, So., S, South Florida
Avery Burks, Jr., OH, Tulane
Jill Hanson, Fr., MB, Tulsa
Brayden Hipp, Sr., S, Tulsa
Brooklyn Leggett, R-Sr., RS, Wichita State

Second Team All-Conference
Olivia Hart, So., OH, Florida Atlantic
Loredana Fouonji, Jr., MB, North Texas
Gaby Mansfield, Sr., L, Rice
Lademi Ogunlana, Sr., MB, Rice
Arissa Smith, Jr., OH, Rice
Laila Ivey, Jr., OH, South Florida
Christiana Greene, So., OH, Temple
Sydney Dunning, Jr., OH, Wichita State

All-Freshman Team
Emsley Venard, S, Florida Atlantic
Zaniah Hoskins, OH, Memphis
Dakota Mitchell, L, North Texas
Aaliyah Smith, OH, Rice*
Giada Obregon, DS, UTSA
Jill Hanson, MB, Tulsa*
Maegan Mills, OH, Tulsa

*denotes unanimous selection

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics

Crook Named to American All-Conference First Team

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