VolleyMob’s 2017 All-Freshman Team, Samedy/Rettke Unanimously Selected

The 2017 NCAA Season has come to its conclusion with Nebraska winning the biggest team award in the National Championship. But how about some more individual accolades to give out?

We have distributed our selections for the top-players across all four-classes (Third-Team, Second-Team, First-Team), now we focus on the newbies with the Freshman of the Year list. For this list, we are including six players plus a libero. This will also move into us selecting our National Freshman of the Year.

*Note: All-Americans and National Player of the Year were voted on by a VolleyMob staff of writers and compiled based on the aggregate results.

*indicates unanimous vote

Yossiana Pressley, Outside Hitter at Baylor

6’0″ | Cypress, Texas

• 2017 Stats: 3.62 kills per set (.243), 1.55 digs per set, 0.56 blocks per set
• Named Southwest Region Freshman of the Year, Big 12 Freshman of the Year, AVCA Honorable Mention All-America
• Baylor wen 24-7, falling to Colorado in the NCAA Tournament second round

T’ara Caesar, Outside Hitter at Georgia

6’1″ | Panama City, Florida

• 2017 Stats: 4.14 kills per set (.242), 4.79 points per set, 2.62 digs per set, 0.40 aces per set, 0.44 blocks per set
• Ranks #1 among all freshmen in kills per set and points per set
• Her season-best 23 kills came against Texas Tech along with a .513 hitting clip and 19 digs in that match as well
• Georgia finished 22-12, falling to Ole Miss in the NIVC Tournament

Dana Rettke, Middle Blocker at Wisconsin

6’8″ | Riverside, Illinois

• 2017 Stats: 3.42 kills per set (.443), 1.37 blocks per set, 0.32 digs per set, 0.22 aces per set
• Ranked 3rd in the NCAA in hitting % and 8th (4th for NCAAT teams) among middles in points per set
• Her season-high 22 kills came at Minnesota on Oct. 21 and 10 blocks at Northwestern on Nov. 19
• Wisconsin finished 22-10, falling to Stanford in the Sweet 16

Taryn Knuth, Middle Blocker at Florida State

6’3″ | Johnston, Iowa

• 2017 Stats: 2.06 kills per set (.319), 1.49 blocks per set, 0.67 digs per set
• Ranked 11th nationally with 1.49 blocks per set, having a total of 162 blocks on the year
• Her season-best 13 blocks came at Clemson on Nov. 22
• Florida State went 18-11, falling to Washington State in the NCAA Tournament first round

Madison Lilley, Setter at Kentucky

5’11” | Overland Park, Kansas

• 2017 Stats: 12.14 assists per set, 0.23 aces per set, 1.99 digs per set, 0.59 blocks per set
• Ranked third nationally with 12.14 assists per set with 1,445 assists
• Her season-best 65 assists came at Marquette on Sept. 9
• Kentucky went 29-4, falling to Nebraska in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight

Stephanie Samedy, Opposite at Minnesota

6’2″ | Clermont, Florida

• 2017 Stats: 4.05 kills per set (.303), 2.82 digs per set, 0.74 blocks per set
• Ranked second among freshmen in kills per set and #1 in total kills among freshmen with 478
• Posted 15 double-doubles this season and led the Gophers in kills in 24 of the team’s 34 matches
• Minnesota finished 28-6, falling to USC in the Sweet 16

Rylee Cookerly, Libero at Valparaiso

5’2″ | Brownsburg, Indiana

• 2017 Stats: 5.86 digs per set, 0.22 aces per set, 0.76 assists per set
• Ranked ninth nationally and first among freshmen liberos in digs per set with 5.86
• Named Midwest Regional Freshman of the Year
• Valparaiso finished 17-16, falling to Illinois State in the Missouri Valley Conference

Honorable Mentions

• Lexi Sun, outside hitter at Texas
• Jenny Mosser, outside hitter at UCLA
• Jazz Sweet, opposite at Nebraska
• Taylor Bannister, opposite at LSU
• Lauren Stivrins, middle blocker at Nebraska
• Peyton Williams, middle blocker at Kansas State
• Sydney Hilley, setter at Wisconsin
• Brynna Deluzio, setter at Colorado
• Giorgia Civita, libero at Wichita State
• Jamye Cox, libero at Michigan State