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University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI
Shaffmaster, Niego And Merkler Named To All-ACC Preseason Team
August 23, 2022 | Volleyball
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The 2022 Carolina volleyball team was picked to finish sixth in the preseason Atlantic Coast Conference poll with Mabrey Shaffmaster, Kaya Merkler and Charley Niego each earning preseason All-ACC honors, as voted on by the league's head coaches, the conference announced Tuesday.
Shaffmaster, the 2021 ACC Freshman of the Year and All-ACC Second team selection, played in all thirty matches last season, making 29 starts with 109 set appearances. The New Castle, Ind., native, tallied 389 kills, the second-most on the team, the most of any freshman in the ACC, and the sixth-most of any player in the conference.
Merkler, a 2021 All-ACC Second team selection, has led the Tar Heels in hitting percentage in the last two seasons. As a sophomore, she led the team in total blocks (97), block solos (19) block assists (78) blocks per set (.95) and tallied 238 kills, the third-most on the team, averaging 2.33 kills per set.
Niego, in her first season with Carolina, was a four-time All-ACC selection during her career at Notre Dame. She led the Irish in kills as a freshman (339), sophomore (410) and junior (244) and had second-most as a senior (272). The graduate student was named a AVCA Honorable Mention All-American in 2018 and 2021.
Louisville was selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2022 ACC Volleyball Championship following a vote of the league's head coaches. The Cardinals received 10 first-place votes, while Pitt earned five. Louisville won the ACC last season with a perfect 18-0 record.
Pitt finished second in the voting with 185 points, followed by Georgia Tech (173), Miami (150) and Florida State (145). North Carolina earned 134 points and was picked sixth, with NC State (116), Duke (105), Notre Dame (87) and Clemson (72) rounding out the top 10. The Tigers were followed by Wake Forest (63 points), Virginia Tech (48), Boston College (39), Virginia (36) and Syracuse (31). Louisville's five preseason All-ACC selections led the conference, while Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Pitt had three each. Miami had two players on the preseason team and Florida State and Syracuse had one each.
Three ACC teams are ranked in the preseason American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 Poll – No. 4 Louisville, No. 6 Pitt and No. 9 Georgia Tech. Miami, North Carolina and Florida State also received votes.
2022 ACC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
Emma Clothier, Florida State, Sr., MB
Julia Bergmann, Georgia Tech, Sr., OH
Bianca Bertolino, Georgia Tech, So., OH
Erin Moss, Georgia Tech, Sr., MB
Claire Chaussee, Louisville, Gr., OH
Anna DeBeer, Louisville, Jr., OH
Aiko Jones, Louisville, Sr., OPP
Elena Scott, Louisville, So., L/DS
Amaya Tillman, Louisville, Sr., MB
Janice Leao, Miami, Sr., MB
Savannah Vach, Miami, Sr., S
Kaya Merkler, North Carolina, Jr., MH
Charley Niego, North Carolina, Gr., OH
Mabrey Shaffmaster, North Carolina, So., OH
Courtney Buzzerio, Pitt, Gr., RS
Rachel Fairbanks, Pitt, So., S
Serena Gray, Pitt, Gr., MB
Polina Shemanova, Syracuse, Gr., OH
Stay up to date with Carolina Volleyball by following the Tar Heels on Twitter and Instagram.
Shaffmaster, the 2021 ACC Freshman of the Year and All-ACC Second team selection, played in all thirty matches last season, making 29 starts with 109 set appearances. The New Castle, Ind., native, tallied 389 kills, the second-most on the team, the most of any freshman in the ACC, and the sixth-most of any player in the conference.
Merkler, a 2021 All-ACC Second team selection, has led the Tar Heels in hitting percentage in the last two seasons. As a sophomore, she led the team in total blocks (97), block solos (19) block assists (78) blocks per set (.95) and tallied 238 kills, the third-most on the team, averaging 2.33 kills per set.
Niego, in her first season with Carolina, was a four-time All-ACC selection during her career at Notre Dame. She led the Irish in kills as a freshman (339), sophomore (410) and junior (244) and had second-most as a senior (272). The graduate student was named a AVCA Honorable Mention All-American in 2018 and 2021.
Louisville was selected as the preseason favorite to win the 2022 ACC Volleyball Championship following a vote of the league's head coaches. The Cardinals received 10 first-place votes, while Pitt earned five. Louisville won the ACC last season with a perfect 18-0 record.
Pitt finished second in the voting with 185 points, followed by Georgia Tech (173), Miami (150) and Florida State (145). North Carolina earned 134 points and was picked sixth, with NC State (116), Duke (105), Notre Dame (87) and Clemson (72) rounding out the top 10. The Tigers were followed by Wake Forest (63 points), Virginia Tech (48), Boston College (39), Virginia (36) and Syracuse (31). Louisville's five preseason All-ACC selections led the conference, while Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Pitt had three each. Miami had two players on the preseason team and Florida State and Syracuse had one each.
Three ACC teams are ranked in the preseason American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 Poll – No. 4 Louisville, No. 6 Pitt and No. 9 Georgia Tech. Miami, North Carolina and Florida State also received votes.
2022 ACC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll
- Louisville, 191 points (10 first place votes)
- Pitt, 185 points (5 first place votes)
- Georgia Tech, 173 points
- Miami, 150 points
- Florida State, 145 points
- North Carolina, 134 points
- NC State, 116 points
- Duke, 105 points
- Notre Dame, 87 points
- Clemson, 72 points
- Wake Forest, 63 points
- Virginia Tech, 48 points
- Boston College, 39 points
- Virginia, 36 points
- Syracuse, 31 points
Emma Clothier, Florida State, Sr., MB
Julia Bergmann, Georgia Tech, Sr., OH
Bianca Bertolino, Georgia Tech, So., OH
Erin Moss, Georgia Tech, Sr., MB
Claire Chaussee, Louisville, Gr., OH
Anna DeBeer, Louisville, Jr., OH
Aiko Jones, Louisville, Sr., OPP
Elena Scott, Louisville, So., L/DS
Amaya Tillman, Louisville, Sr., MB
Janice Leao, Miami, Sr., MB
Savannah Vach, Miami, Sr., S
Kaya Merkler, North Carolina, Jr., MH
Charley Niego, North Carolina, Gr., OH
Mabrey Shaffmaster, North Carolina, So., OH
Courtney Buzzerio, Pitt, Gr., RS
Rachel Fairbanks, Pitt, So., S
Serena Gray, Pitt, Gr., MB
Polina Shemanova, Syracuse, Gr., OH
Stay up to date with Carolina Volleyball by following the Tar Heels on Twitter and Instagram.
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