ORLANDO – The UCF volleyball team added to its historic 2020-21 season on Tuesday as the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced UCF outside hitter McKenna Melville to the AVCA Southeast All-Region team.
The award marked Melville's third as she was also named All-Region in 2018 and 2019. Melville is the first Knight to be named All-Region in three consecutive seasons since DeLaina Sarden earned the honor in the 2012-2014 seasons.
The AVCA Southeast Region is comprised of 38 teams across the American Athletic Conference, the ASUN, Big South, SEC, Southern, SWAC and Sun Belt.
"McKenna had another amazing year on the court and in the locker room," said UCF Volleyball head coach Todd Dagenais. "If there was ever a year that she put herself in position to be named to an All-American team, this is it. Her team and program are very proud of her and I know she is very thankful to the team and her coaches for being in the position she is in. We keep our fingers crossed that she gets the recognition she deserves in the next round of voting."
Playing all 60 sets for a Knights team that went 16-1 overall and an undefeated, 8-0 in league play, Melville was UCF's primary outside hitter, leading the team in kills (4.58 per set), points (5.18 per set) and total attacks (712). Melville is currently on pace to break the UCF single-season record for kills per set (4.51, set by Melville in her freshman season in 2018).
A true six-rotation player, Melville shined defensively as well, sitting at second on the team with 2.88 digs per set and chipping in a solid 32 total blocks on the season, including seven solos, good for second on the team. Her eight double-doubles led the team in 2020-21.
The junior from Eagan, Minnesota was among the best players in the nation for a third straight season. Melville was 23rd in the country in attacks per set (11.87), 11th in kills per set (4.58) and 10th in points per set (5.17).
Melville was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year on April 5 and was also one of two players in the conference unanimously tabbed as a First Team All-Conference nominee (Abbie Jackson, So., OH, Houston).
Playing in her third straight NCAA Tournament, Melville will look to guide the Knights to a first round victory over High Point University on Wednesday, April 14 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
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