For the first time in Ohio volleyball history, two Bobcats have been named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American Team, as sophomore setter Abby Gilleland and junior outside hitter Kelly Lamberti were given honorable mention for their performances this season on Wednesday.
This is also the first time that an Ohio player has received this honor since 2009, when Ellen Herman received the accolades for the second consecutive season.
The two players led the Bobcats to Mid-American Conference regular season and Tournament titles this season, along with an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 2010. Ohio put together a 27-6 overall record during the 2013 campaign.
“Abby and Kelly have been so consistent for us over their careers at Ohio. It's great to see them recognized for their outstanding performances this season,” coach Ryan Theis said. “They are model student-athletes both on and off the court and we are excited to have them back for another run at the MAC title next season.”
Abby Gilleland
Gilleland finished her sophomore season by earning AVCA All-Region honors, while being the first player in program history to earn both MAC player of the year and MAC setter of the year honors.
The three-time MAC East offensive player of the week led the conference’s most efficient offense, which ranked inside the top-25 in the nation in hitting percentage.
Gilleland ranked third in the league in assists per set (10.79) and hitting percentage (.347) in MAC contests, while hitting a .343 clip against teams ranked in the top 25 this season. She posted a team-second best 11 double-doubles in 2013.
During non-conference play, Gilleland earned the Oregon Classic Most Valuable Player and Michigan Invitational All-Tournament honors.
Kelly Lamberti
Along with Gilleland, Lamberti was an enormous part of the Bobcats’ offense this season. Despite going down with an ankle injury on Oct. 19, she also earned AVCA All-Region and First Team All-MAC honors in 2013. She was also named the MAC offensive player of the week on Oct. 7.
Lamberti ranked eighth in the conference with 3.14 kills per set and was second on the team with 2.80 digs per set. She notched a team-best 14 double-doubles on the season, while leading the Bobcats with 3.14 kills per set. Lamberti played above her average against nationally-ranked teams in 2013, as she posted 3.58 kills per set and hit a .270 clips in those matches.
Lamberti, along with Gilleland, was named to the Oregon Classic All-Tournament honors during the first weekend of the season.
Ohio’s AVCA All-American History
2003: Laura Hageman, Honorable Mention?
2004: Briana Adamovsky, Honorable Mention?
2005: Julia Winkfield, Honorable Mention?
2007: Melissa Griffin, Honorable Mention?
2008: Ellen Herman, Honorable Mention?
2009: Ellen Herman, Honorable Mention?
2013: Abby Gilleland, Honorable Mention; Kelly Lamberti, Honorable Mention
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