TexAnn Trio, Schindler bring home AVCA Regional Honors

Mary Schindler named the AVCA Regional Coach of the Year

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STEPHENVILLE – The South Central Regional Champion TexAnns were honored with four All-Region awards from the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

Mary Schindler was named the AVCA Regional Coach of the Year for the first time in her career. Hannah McManus and Adriana Darthuy were selected first-team All-Region and Adrianna Knutson was honorable mention All-Region. It’s the first AVCA All-Region selection for all three players in their careers.

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Schindler continues to take the TexAnns to new heights as the 14th-year head coach has guided the team to a school-record 32 wins while hosting and winning the NCAA South Central Regional title for the first time. Schindler was named the Lone Star Conference co-Coach of the Year with a 19-1 conference record that led to the program’s third LSC regular-season title. With Schindler at the helm, the TexAnns were ranked in every AVCA Coaches Poll this season, including setting a new school record with a No. 10 ranking. The TexAnns won a program-best 24 consecutive matches this season from Aug. 31-Nov. 2.

McManus, Darthuy and Knutson give the TexAnns six players in program history to be named AVCA All-Region, joining Hailey Roberts, Jordyn Keamo and Kenya Alexander.

McManus, a senior from Caldwell, Texas, has been among the national leaders in total blocks and blocks per set all year. McManus, who was also named D2CCA second-team All-Region, the LSC Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-LSC, finished the regular season as the conference leader in total blocks and blocks per set and now has 179 total blocks and 1.42 blocks per set on the year. She was a three-time LSC Player of the Week, including two defensive honors. She has landed 237 kills on a .316 hit percentage for the season. McManus also set the school record this season for assisted blocks in a career with 349.

Darthuy, a junior from Marseille, France, who was also named D2CCA first-team All-Region, the South Central Region All-Tournament team and first-team All-Lone Star Conference, leads Tarleton in kills this season with 364. She leads the team with 10 double-doubles and had 19 matches with double-digit kills, including a season-high 17 on three different occasions. In addition to her offensive game, Darthuy is second on the team with 42 service aces, has 63 blocks, and 355 digs. She also leads the team with 439.5 points.

Knutson, a senior libero from San Antonio, was also named to the South Central Region All-Tournament team and an All-LSC Second Team selection. The defensive specialist has led the team all season with 579 digs for an average of 4.60 per set. Led by Knutson, the Tarleton defense held opposing teams to a .140 hitting percentage for the season. Knutson set the school record for digs in a career 1,995 and can top the 2,000-dig mark at the NCAA Championships next week.

Tarleton (32-4) will head to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for the NCAA Division II Volleyball Championship on Nov. 29-Dec. 1 at the A.J. Palumbo Center on the campus of Duquesne University. The teams were reseeded for the tournament and the TexAnns received the No. 6 seed and will take on No. 3 Western Washington on Thursday, Nov. 29 at 12:30 p.m. CST.

ABOUT THE AVCA
The AVCA, with its headquarters in Lexington, Ky., is managed by Associations International. The mission of the AVCA is to advance the sport of volleyball with AVCA coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy and professional development. With a membership of almost 7,000 and counting, the AVCA provides a professional network for those individuals and companies dedicated to enhancing and promoting the sport. Members include collegiate, high school, club, youth and Olympic coaches, as well as volleyball club directors. The AVCA provides education to volleyball coaches, recognition of elite players and coaches, promotion of volleyball competitions throughout the world, and networking opportunities for volleyball products and services providers. For more information about the AVCA, visit AVCA.org.

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