North Carolina State University Athletics
Photo by: Greg Mintel
NC State Volleyball’s Brown, Speaks Garner All-ACC Honors
11/28/2016 11:59:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Wolfpack’s outside hitter and setter secure all-conference mentions
GREENSBORO, N.C. – NC State volleyball's Julia Brown and Maggie Speaks have been named to the 2016 All-ACC team, announced Monday by the league office. The two Wolfpack players are the first to claim all-conference honors for the program since 2012.
It also marks the first time that NC State has placed two players on the All-ACC team since 1995. Brown secured a spot on the first team, while Speaks garnered second team honors.
Following a phenomenal junior campaign, Brown collects first team accolades after finishing the season with the third-most kills in the conference with 489, which ranks among the top 30 division I players in the NCAA. That mark also sets the program record for most kills during a single season in the rally-scoring era and eighth best overall in school history.
The Davidson, N.C., native took on a much larger role under first-year head coach Linda Hampton-Keith, as she made the transition from a three-rotation outside hitter in her first two seasons to a six-rotation outside hitter this year. The change paid huge dividends for the Wolfpack, as Brown tallied 169 more kills and nearly 300 more digs than she did in 2015.
Brown recorded double-digit kills in 27 of NC State's 32 matches this season, highlighted by a career-best and rally-scoring era program record 31 kills versus Syracuse. Additionally, she smacked 20 or more kills seven times during the year.
Not only was she a force offensively, but also defensively as her 327 digs were the second most on the team. She collected double figure digs 17 times to tally 16 double-double performances (10+ kills & digs).
She was awarded the conference's player of the week award twice this season, claiming the honor on Oct. 24 and Nov. 7. The All-ACC selection is the first of her career and Brown is the first Wolfpack player to earn first team honors since Stefani Eddins in 2005.
At the forefront of Brown's success this season was her setter Speaks, who received a spot on the second team. She ended the year with the third-highest assist total in the ACC with 1,148, which ranks third in the program's rally-scoring era for a single season.
Hailing from Camden, S.C., Speaks orchestrated an NC State offense that finished the season with an attacking percentage of .226, second best in the program's rally-scoring era and fifth best in the ACC. In addition, the Pack averaged 13.46 kills per set, which breaks the NC State rally-scoring era mark for most in a season.
Earlier this season, Speaks broke the program's rally-scoring era record with 64 assists in NC State's 3-2 comeback victory against SMU, the American Athletic Conference (AAC) Champion and 2016 NCAA Tournament participant.
Thanks to her strong setting, NC State established the program record for highest attacking percentage in an ACC match with a .407 clip at Clemson and later broke the mark and set the rally-scoring era record for highest attacking percentage in a match with a .468 at Virginia Tech.
Brown and the Wolfpack's other hitters credit their success to Speaks for being able to deliver a great set. She also contributed the third-most digs on the team with 288. Speaks notched 10 or more digs on 15 occasions to record 15 double doubles.
The senior finishes her career with 3,240 assists, second highest in the program's rally-scoring era and fourth best in program history, 644 digs, 322 kills, 210 blocks and 66 service aces.
It is Speaks' first all-conference selection.
As a team, NC State ended the season with a 20-12 overall record and a 13-7 mark in ACC play, which breaks the program record. Predicted to finish 12th in the conference by the league's head coaches, the Wolfpack ended the year in a tie for sixth place.
#STATEment
It also marks the first time that NC State has placed two players on the All-ACC team since 1995. Brown secured a spot on the first team, while Speaks garnered second team honors.
Following a phenomenal junior campaign, Brown collects first team accolades after finishing the season with the third-most kills in the conference with 489, which ranks among the top 30 division I players in the NCAA. That mark also sets the program record for most kills during a single season in the rally-scoring era and eighth best overall in school history.
The Davidson, N.C., native took on a much larger role under first-year head coach Linda Hampton-Keith, as she made the transition from a three-rotation outside hitter in her first two seasons to a six-rotation outside hitter this year. The change paid huge dividends for the Wolfpack, as Brown tallied 169 more kills and nearly 300 more digs than she did in 2015.
Brown recorded double-digit kills in 27 of NC State's 32 matches this season, highlighted by a career-best and rally-scoring era program record 31 kills versus Syracuse. Additionally, she smacked 20 or more kills seven times during the year.
Not only was she a force offensively, but also defensively as her 327 digs were the second most on the team. She collected double figure digs 17 times to tally 16 double-double performances (10+ kills & digs).
She was awarded the conference's player of the week award twice this season, claiming the honor on Oct. 24 and Nov. 7. The All-ACC selection is the first of her career and Brown is the first Wolfpack player to earn first team honors since Stefani Eddins in 2005.
At the forefront of Brown's success this season was her setter Speaks, who received a spot on the second team. She ended the year with the third-highest assist total in the ACC with 1,148, which ranks third in the program's rally-scoring era for a single season.
Hailing from Camden, S.C., Speaks orchestrated an NC State offense that finished the season with an attacking percentage of .226, second best in the program's rally-scoring era and fifth best in the ACC. In addition, the Pack averaged 13.46 kills per set, which breaks the NC State rally-scoring era mark for most in a season.
Earlier this season, Speaks broke the program's rally-scoring era record with 64 assists in NC State's 3-2 comeback victory against SMU, the American Athletic Conference (AAC) Champion and 2016 NCAA Tournament participant.
Thanks to her strong setting, NC State established the program record for highest attacking percentage in an ACC match with a .407 clip at Clemson and later broke the mark and set the rally-scoring era record for highest attacking percentage in a match with a .468 at Virginia Tech.
Brown and the Wolfpack's other hitters credit their success to Speaks for being able to deliver a great set. She also contributed the third-most digs on the team with 288. Speaks notched 10 or more digs on 15 occasions to record 15 double doubles.
The senior finishes her career with 3,240 assists, second highest in the program's rally-scoring era and fourth best in program history, 644 digs, 322 kills, 210 blocks and 66 service aces.
It is Speaks' first all-conference selection.
As a team, NC State ended the season with a 20-12 overall record and a 13-7 mark in ACC play, which breaks the program record. Predicted to finish 12th in the conference by the league's head coaches, the Wolfpack ended the year in a tie for sixth place.
#STATEment
Players Mentioned
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