NEW HAVEN, Conn. (November 11, 2026) – Holy Family University sophomore Mackenzie Layton has been voted the 2026 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Women’s Volleyball Player of the Year. Layton, who was also named to the All-CACC First Team at outside hitter, headlines the all-conference teams and major award winners announced tonight by CACC Commissioner Dan Mara. The voting was conducted by the conference’s 11 head coaches.
Thomas Jefferson University claimed all the other major awards. Ram freshman setter Lyllah Sapp grabbed two honors; she was selected as both the 2026 CACC Rookie of the Year and Setter of the Year. Jefferson sophomore Kate Hines was chosen as the Defensive Player of the Year, and Ram head coach Eric Schaefer was elected the 2026 Athletic Solutions CACC Coach of the year by his peers. Sapp and Hines joined Layton on the All-CACC First Team.
Layton from Clarksboro, N.J., is second in the CACC with 3.64 kills per set and third with 3.85 points per set. She also averages 2.51 digs with a .219 attack percentage. She reached double figures in kills in 26 of 29 matches with 11 double-doubles. Layton helped lead Holy Family to a second-place finish in the CACC South Division.
Sapp leads the CACC and is in the top 40 nationally in Division II with 9.72 assists per set and has helped guide Jefferson to a .219 team hitting percentage. The Bakersfield, Calif., native also averages 2.26 digs per set. Sapp won the CACC Setter of the Week Award seven times and was the CACC Rookie of the Week on four occasions.
Hines, of Newark, Del., tops the CACC with 5.03 digs per set. She exceeded 20 digs in 14 matches and had 30 or more four times, with a high of 36. She also produced 1.03 assists and 0.41 aces per set this season.
Schaefer is his third season at Jefferson. He previously won five conference Coach of the Year Awards during 16 seasons at Cabrini University. He has guided this year’s Rams to a 25-6 record, the South Division regular-season title, a spot in this weekend’s semifinals, and the current No. 4 spot in the Division II East Region NCAA Power Index rankings. Jefferson has improved by 13 victories over 2025.
The complete list of 2026 All-CACC Women’s Volleyball Teams and major award winners is below. Also listed is the inaugural CACC Women’s Volleyball Sportsmanship Team, which contains the member of each conference team who, as selected by the coaches, best represented the spirit of class, character, and sportsmanship in practice, in competition, and off the court.
2026 CACC VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Mackenzie Layton (Holy Family University)
2026 CACC VOLLEYBALL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Lyllah Sapp (Thomas Jefferson University)
2026 CACC VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kate Hines (Thomas Jefferson University)
2026 CACC VOLLEYBALL SETTER OF THE YEAR
Lyllah Sapp (Thomas Jefferson University)
2026 ATHLETIC SOLUTIONS CACC VOLLEYBALL COACH OF THE YEAR
Eric Schaefer (Thomas Jefferson University)
2026 CACC VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
S - Lyllah Sapp (Thomas Jefferson University)
L - Kate Hines (Thomas Jefferson University)
OH - Hailey Jessen (University of Bridgeport)
OH - Mackenzie Layton (Holy Family University)
OH - Liani Sierra (Wilmington University)
MB - Pemi Areola (Thomas Jefferson University)
MB - Gabi Fullwood (Goldey-Beacom College)
2026 CACC VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
S - Mia Wise (Holy Family University)
L - Morgan Daniels (Wilmington University)
OH - Sandra Galas (Felician University)
OH - Peyton Kellam (Felician University)
OH - Emily McKenna (Thomas Jefferson University)
MB - Leah Logan (Holy Family University)
MB - Liz Tanis (Thomas Jefferson University)
2026 CACC VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE THIRD TEAM
S - Bentley Rone (Felician University)
L - Rachel Mace (Chestnut Hill College)
OH - Ava Churnesky (Georgian Court University)
OH - Jesenia Labrador (Dominican University)
OH - Grace Sims (Holy Family University)
MB - Chelsea Blaine-Agett (Wilmington University)
MB - Cecilia Kowalski (University of Bridgeport)
2026 CACC VOLLEYBALL SPORTSMANSHIP TEAM
Ella Bowman (University of Bridgeport)
Andrea Enabosi (Caldwell University)
Macayla Lindner (Chestnut Hill College)
Kaeden Sanstead (Dominican University)
Kiah Jackson (Felician University)
Kyla Davis (Georgian Court University)
Angelica Febres (Goldey-Beacom College)
Cadence Palmer (Holy Family University)
Vivien Fehervari (Post University)
Evelyn Banks (Thomas Jefferson University)
Addison Hoover (Wilmington University)
Founded in 1961, the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference has been affiliated with NCAA Division II for 21 years. Conference institutions compete for championships in 18 sports – seven for men, 10 for women, and one co-ed. The CACC contains 11 full members in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Membership includes 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.