TSU's Henderson and Pierson Earn All-OVC First Team Honors

BRENTWOOD, Tennessee -- Tennessee State volleyball middle blockers Rachel Henderson and Julia Pierson earned spots on the All-OVC First First Team, as announced by the conference office tonight. 

TSU's sole senior completed her second regular season in blue and white leading the team in total, solo and block assists, outpacing her junior season by 21 total blocks with two fewer matches on the schedule. Big Blue's 2018 All-OVC Preseason pick also racked up 319 kills on a .187 clip, 219 digs, 18 service aces and 23 assists, summing 397 points. The Ft. Worth, Texas native enters the postseason ranked fourth in the league in blocks per set (0.98) and seventh in points per set (3.61). Henderson posted six double-doubles, two in conference play.  

Pierson, another Texas native, leads the team in kills, points, and service aces. The junior finished the season with 349 kills on a .219 clip, 273 digs, 69 blocks, 27 assists, and 25 aces, summing 412 points on the year. The 2017 All-OVC Preseason selection ranks sixth in the league in kills per set (3.32) and fourth in points per set (3.92). Pierson put together an impressive 13 double-doubles over the season, outpacing last season's three.

The last time TSU had two players earn positions on the All-OVC team was 2015 with Chloe Watson and Madison Halterman, the OVC Defensive Player of the Year. 

Henderson and Pierson will lead TSU in the first round of the OVC tournament, tomorrow, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. as they take on host Austin Peay in the Winfield Dunn Center. The match will be available for viewing on ESPN3. 

FIRST TEAM

Olivia Lohmeier, Morehead State - OH - Sophomore
Rachel Giustino, Murray State - OH - Junior
Kristen Stucker, Austin Peay - S - Junior
Dacia Brown, Murray State - OH - Redshirt Senior
Cecily Gable, Austin Peay - OH - Senior
Jessie Wachtman, Morehead State - MB - Redshirt Senior
Mackenzie Rombach, Jacksonville State - MB - Senior
Julia Pierson, Tennessee State - MB - Junior
Cassie Knutson, Eastern Kentucky - RS - Senior
Rachel McDonald, SIUE - OH - Sophomore
Logan Carger, Austin Peay - OH/MB - Senior
Lexie Libs, Jacksonville State - S - Sophomore
Brooke Gyori, UT Martin - L/DS - Senior
Rachel Henderson, Tennessee State - MB - Senior
Becca Hernandez, Murray State - L - Sophomore
(15 players appear on the First Team due to a tie)

OVC Player of the Year: Olivia Lohmeier, Morehead State
OVC Freshman of the Year: Hope Everett, SIUE
OVC Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Becca Fernandez, Murray State and Brooke Gyori, UT Martin
OVC Setter of the Year: Kristen Stucker: Austin Peay
OVC Coach of the Year: Taylor Mott, Austin Peay

SECOND TEAM

Chandler Clark, Morehead State - S - Morehead State
Haley Billbruck, Southeast Missouri - RS - Senior
Taylor Smith, Eastern Illinois - OH/S - Senior
Hannah Phillips, UT Martin - OH - Junior
Annie Wehrheim, Southeast Missouri - OH - Junior
Rachel Holthaus, Murray State - RS - Junior
Kaylee Frear, Jacksonville State - OH/MB - Junior

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