NEW HAVEN, Conn. (November 19, 2024) – University of Bridgeport senior Paola Hernandez has been voted the 2024 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year. Hernandez, who was also named to the All-CACC First Team at outside hitter, headlines the all-conference teams and major award winners announced today by CACC Commissioner Dan Mara. The voting was conducted by the conference’s 12 head coaches.
Wilmington University freshman outside Eliza Schneider was selected as the 2024 CACC Women’s Volleyball Rookie of the Year. Post University junior Alyssa Groves was voted the Defensive Player of the Year, and Bridgeport senior Jaden Drollinger repeated as Setter of the Year. Groves and Drollinger were also elected to the All-CACC First Team, while Schneider was a Second Team choice. Georgian Court University head coach Shayna Rayside is the 2024 Coach of the Year, while Caldwell University is the winner of the Women’s Volleyball Team Sportsmanship Award.
Hernandez, from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, tops the CACC with 3.59 kills per set and 4.13 points per set. She also averages 2.44 digs per set with a .220 attack percentage. She has helped lead Bridgeport to a 20-9 overall won-lost record and a share of the North Division regular-season title.
Schneider’s 3.00 kills per set are 10th in the CACC. The Hartley, Del., resident is hitting .211 with 1.21 digs and 0.35 blocks per set. She was a four-time CACC Rookie of the Week.
Groves, of Phoenix, Ariz., leads the country among Division II players with 6.97 digs per set for Post, the North Division’s co-regular season champion and No. 1 seed. She has surpassed 40 digs in a match three times this season, with a high of 48 against the University of New Haven on Sept. 25.
Drollinger wins the Setter of the Year award for the second consecutive year. She tops the CACC in assists per set with 10.10 and is also fourth with 0.62 aces per set. The Queens Creek, Ariz., native, also pulls up 2.50 digs per set.
Rayside, selected by the league’s directors of athletics communications, is completing her second season with the Lions. She led GCU (18-9, 14-2 CACC) to the South Division regular-season championship and a six-match improvement in conference play from last year’s 8-8 mark.
Caldwell, led by head coach Hector Colon, was the coaches’ choice for demonstrating class and character throughout the regular season.
The 2024 CACC women’s volleyball major award winners and all-conference teams are listed below.
2024 CACC VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Paola Hernandez (University of Bridgeport)
2024 CACC VOLLEYBALL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Eliza Schneider (Wilmington University)
2024 CACC VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Alyssa Groves (Post University)
2024 CACC VOLLEYBALL SETTER OF THE YEAR
Jaden Drollinger (University of Bridgeport)
2024 CACC VOLLEYBALL COACH OF THE YEAR
Shana Rayside (Georgian Court University)
2024 CACC VOLLEYBALL TEAM SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Caldwell University
2024 CACC VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
L – Alyssa Groves (Post University)
S – Jaden Drollinger (University of Bridgeport)
MB – Caitlyn Burch (Goldey-Beacom College)
MB – Lucia Tomiello (University of Bridgeport)
OH – Paola Hernandez (University of Bridgeport)
OH – Nylene Mateo (Georgian Court University)
OH – Morgan Ritchie (Thomas Jefferson University)
2024 CACC VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
L – Gaby Fernandez (Goldey-Beacom College)
S – Mia Caporellie (Chestnut Hill College)
MB – Chelsea Ross (Georgian Court University)
MB – Alex Serna (Wilmington University)
OH – Erika Dubosky (Chestnut Hill College)
OH – Kristina Peric (Post University)
OH – Eliza Schneider (Wilmington University)
2024 CACC VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE THIRD TEAM
L – Cameron Johnson (Thomas Jefferson University)
S – Caroline Bond (Thomas Jefferson University)
MB – Hannah Brandt (Post University)
MB – Ava Kidd (Holy Family University)
OH – Giorgia Cappelletti (Georgian Court University)
OH – Hailey Jessen (University of Bridgeport)
OH – Piper Nanouski (Goldey-Beacom College)
The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its affiliation with NCAA Division II. Conference institutions compete for championships in 18 sports – eight for men, nine for women, and one co-ed. The CACC contains 12 members in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Membership includes Bloomfield College of Montclair State University, the University of Bridgeport, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Dominican University New York, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Post University, Thomas Jefferson University, and Wilmington University.