NORFOLK, Va. – Miajavon Coleman and
Ashley Roman from the Coppin State's volleyball team were named MEAC Player and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, announced by the league office Tuesday afternoon. All votes were voted by the leagues head coaches and sports information directors.
Paola Caten was named to the All- MEAC First Team, while
Andrea Tsvetanova was named to the All-MEAC Second Team and
Ahzhi Coleman was named to the All-MEAC Rookie Team.
A senior from San Antonio, Texas, Coleman, a four-time All-MEAC selection was named MEAC Player of the Year after leading the MEAC with 352 total kills, 3.63 kills per set and 3.89 points per set and ranks eighth in MEAC history in career kills and fifth in career points. Coleman also ranks eighth in the MEAC in digs per set (3.00) and is one of just two players in the MEAC ranked in both categories.
She reached double digit kills in 18 of 23 matches with a MEAC-high two games with 20+ kills and is the first player in CSU history to record 20+ kills and 20+ digs in a single match with 24 kills and 23 digs at North Carolina Central. Coleman also had 21 kills in a four-set win at America East Champion UMBC and recorded a pair of matches with 19 kills and another with 18 kills. She reached 10+ digs in 14 games and multiple blocks in five games, including a season-high five at Howard. She also has 13 aces and 23 blocks on the season thus far.
Coleman is the first Eagle to win player of the year since Cindy Okpegbue in 2015.
A junior from Isabela, Puerto Rico, Roman repeats as the MEAC Defensive Player of the Year after winning the title last season. She currently leads the MEAC with 5.01 digs per set which ranks 28th nationally. Her 5.01 career digs per set is 17th among all active Division I players and is a CSU record. Roman reached 10+ digs in all but one match and has 12 matches with at least 20+ digs to lead the MEAC. Her six highest dig match this season all came in four-set matches, including 25 digs against Norfolk State and at Howard. Roman recorded 24 digs at Penn and another five matches with 23 digs.
She recorded a double-double with 23 digs and 10 assists verses Canisus and was third on the team with 91 assists (.94 per set) and has 19 aces so far this season. She has tallied at least five assists in eight matches and multiple aces in three matches, including three in a win at George Mason.
A junior from Tampa, Fla. Caten ranks fifth in the MEAC in total kills (283), sixth in kills per/set (3.15). She was second Team All-MEAC in 2020. She is second on the team with 29 aces and fourth in blocks (41). She had 11 matches with 10+ kills including a career high 28 kills to go with 16 digs at North Carolina Central. She also had 11 matches with 10+ digs and recorded multiple aces in eight matches with a high of four against UMES. Caten had multiple blocks in 11 matches with a high of four in games against Howard and Norfolk State.
Tsvetanova is ranked fourth in the MEAC in total assists (427) and fourth in assists/set (8.06). Her nine double-doubles ranks 2nd in the MEAC and she had at least 24 assists in 15 matches with 11 matches of 30+ assists, 5 matches with 40+ assists and a season high of 60 assists where she added 10 digs at North Carolina Central. She recorded multiple aces in nine matches with eight at South Carolina State, five verses Norfolk State and had four matches with three aces. She tallied multiple blocks in five matches, including five at Penn where she notched a double-double with 42 assists, 15 digs.
Ahzhi Coleman is third on CSU with 122 kills while leading qualified hitters with a .190 hitting percentage. She is tied second on the team with 53 total blocks (0.55 per set). Coleman is also credited with 19 digs and recorded a season-high 10 kills while hitting .444 at Penn. She has had at least five kills in 14 matches and at least three blocks in eight matches. She also had a season-high five blocks in a win over Canisius and another four blocks in a win over North Carolina Central, recoding six kills in each.
The MEAC Volleyball Championship begins Friday with the quarterfinal round; the first match is set to begin at 11 a.m. Saturday's semifinals will begin at 5 p.m., while Sunday's championship match will start at 8 p.m. and be shown live on ESPNU and ESPN3.
Coppin is scheduled to play Norfolk State in the quarterfinal round on Friday, November 19 at 8 p.m.
For more information on the MEAC Volleyball Championship, including bracket and full schedule, visit www.MEACsports.com
