Brown Named AVCA East Region Player of the Year, Pickrell Named All-Region

LEXINGTON, Ky. – For the first time in program history, NC State volleyball owns the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) East Region Player of the Year as Julia Brown captured the award Tuesday morning.

The Wolfpack's setter Kylie Pickrell also garnered All-Region honors, as NC State has two selections on the team for the second consecutive season. It marks the first time that the Pack has had all-region selections in back-to-back years since 1987-88.

Both players were recently named to the First Team All-ACC Team announced last week.

Brown continues to make history, as she is the first NC State player in the history of the program to garner AVCA East Region Player of the Year. She was also the first NC State player to garner consecutive First Team All-ACC honors since Volire Tisdale accomplished the feat in 1987 and 1988.

The Davidson, N.C., native led the Wolfpack and finished second in the conference with 474 kills during her senior campaign. Brown tallied double-digit kills in 29 of NC State's 33 matches, headlined by a season-high 23 kills in the Pack's 3-2 win at Florida State

Earlier this season, she surpassed 1,000 career kills to become just the 11^thplayer in program history to reach the milestone and finished her career with 1,368 kills, which is the most in NC State's rally-scoring era and fifth most all-time.

Additionally, Brown finished second on the team in digs with 319, averaging 2.53 digs per set. She turned in 13 double-double performances this year with 10 or more kills and 10 plus digs.

Last year, Brown was also an AVCA All-Region selection in addition to being First Team All-ACC. She broke the rally-scoring era program record for career kills at Miami this season and now owns the rally-scoring era mark for kills in a single match, single season and career.

Pickrell did an excellent job running the Wolfpack offense from her setter position, as she led the league in total assists with 1,301, which ranks among the top 25 of the NCAA. Her play allowed NC State's offense to finish the season ranked first in the ACC in total kills (1,768) and total assists (1,667).

The junior broke the rally-scoring era program record in NC State's thrilling five-set win at Florida State with 70 assists, which was the most by any player in the ACC this season and tied for third most in the NCAA.

A native of Coppell, Texas, she tallied the program's first triple double in the rally-scoring era with 47 assists, 19 digs and 13 kills versus Missouri State. Pickrell was one of just three players in the ACC to record a triple double this season.

Brown and Pickrell were both named ACC Player of the Week during the season as well.

NC State's record-breaking season came to a close in the second round of the NCAA Tournament against second-ranked Texas last weekend. The Wolfpack earned its first victory in the NCAA Championships with a 3-2 win against Oregon State in the first round.

The Pack finished the year with a 21-12 overall record, highlighted by a program record 15 ACC wins. NC State also compiled a perfect 10-0 mark in home ACC matches for the first time in program history.

North Carolina State University Athletics

Brown Named AVCA East Region Player of the Year, Pickrell Named All-Region

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Julia Brown

Kylie Pickrell

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