NEW YORK | The Skyline Conference's 12 head women's volleyball coaches cast their votes and have named Farmingdale State's Kalena Ricketts and Manhattanville's Vianca Vital Co-Player of the Year, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy newcomer Alexa Tipps Rookie of the Year and Valiants head coach Tyler Blank Coach of the Year.
Ricketts (below) paced the Skyline in kills and points per set, ranking 22nd and 27th in Division III, respectively. Her hitting percentage ranks third on the conference leaderboard. Her Skyline match-high 28 kills against USMMA tied for 11th in DIII this season as she led the Rams to the conference semifinals. She is now a three-time all-conference first team selection in as many seasons.
Vital has been Manhattanville's primary setter throughout the season and lifted the Valiants to back-to-back championships. Vital paces the squad with 819 assists and 71 service aces, while also recording 270 digs. In mid-October, she became Manhattanville's all-time career assist leader after a 55-assist week to eclipse 3,113 assists total. Vital and the Valiants defeated No. 2 St. Joseph's-Long Island in the league final and will now take on Middlebury in the NCAA Tournament this Thursday.
Tipps (below) was recognized by the Skyline five times for weekly honors, securing two Rookie of the Week awards and three Honor Roll selections throughout the fall as USMMA advanced to the postseason. In conference-only matches, she ranks second in the Skyline in assists per set (9.43) in the regular seasson. Tipps posted 12 matches with 30-or-more assists, including three over 40 with one 52-assist match. The rookie concluded her freshman season with five double-doubles.
In his second season as head coach of the Valiants, Blank (below) guided Manhattanville to arguably its best campaign in history. The Valiants reached the NCAA Tournament with a 20-11 overall mark and an undefeated 11-0 record in league action. They are the first team in Skyline history to not drop a set in conference play, including the postseason.
Manhattanville will now make its third appearance in the NCAA Tournament, having reached the championships in 2019 and 2022 – the last two of which under Blank's leadership. He was appointed as the head coach in April 2022. The Valiants are dominant in the Skyline, leading the league in assists (1,105), hitting percentage (.190), points (1,507) and kills (1,209).
2023 Skyline Conference Women's Volleyball All-Conference Team
First Team
Brittany Breland, Sr., OH - U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Meredith Buchanan, Sr., RS/S - U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Madison Gremli, Sr., OH - St. Joseph's-Long Island
Loren Hernandez, So., OH - Manhattanville
Kalena Ricketts, Sr., MB - Farmingdale State
Stephanie Schatzman, So., L - U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Vianca Vital, Grad., S - Manhattanville
Jonaiya Williams, So., OH - Mount Saint Mary
Jackie Wolf, Jr., OH - St. Joseph's-Long Island
Second Team
Grace Ballagas, Jr., L - Manhattanville
Aubriana Boyce, So., S - Mount Saint Mary
Mikayla Profeta, Jr., MB - Farmingdale State
Athena Kazos, So., OH - Sarah Lawrence
Meghan Wildes, Sr., MB - Manhattanville
Alexa Tipps, Fr., S - U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Sarah Rende, Fr., S - Farmingdale State
Co-Player of the Year: Kalena Ricketts, Farmingdale State; Vianca Vital, Manhattanville
Rookie of the Year: Alexa Tipps, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Coach of the Year: Tyler Blank, Manhattanville (2nd Season)