ORLANDO, Fla. – McKenna Melville and Anne-Marie Watson of the UCF volleyball team were named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Southeast All-Region team, the AVCA announced on Tuesday.
This award marks Melville's fourth honor in her four years and Watson's first career honor. Melville becomes the only Knight to be named All-Region in four consecutive years in program history.
The AVCA Southeast Region is comprised of 42 teams across the American Athletic Conference, the ASUN, Big South, SEC, Southern, SWAC and Sun Belt.
"McKenna has put together one of the best collegiate seasons, not only for UCF, but nationally," head coach Todd Dagenais said, "The number of swings she took, how she blocked, her passing and defensive numbers, she is a total and complete player. There are not many players in the country that can do it all and she is one of them. I think she deserves to be a first team All-American. Even though she is continuing her career, she is well on track to become one of, if not, the greatest player to ever come out of UCF."
Playing in and starting all 125 sets for the Knights, Melville led UCF to its fourth-straight conference title and NCAA appearance. The Eagan, Minnesota native dominated offensively with 701 points (5.61 points per set), 617 kills (4.94 per set) and 34 aces this season.
A true six-rotation player, Melville has shined defensively as well as she led the team in digs with 383 (3.06 per set). The outside hitter also led the Knights in block solos with 16 on the season while she had 84 total blocks.
Melville is an all-around threat, picking up 19 double doubles this season and 71 in her career.
The senior was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, All-Conference First Team, and AAC Player of the Week seven times this season, and now earns AVCA All-Region with the chance to be tabbed an All-American.
"Anne-Marie will go down as one of, if not the greatest, right-side blocker and hitter in the Division I era at UCF," Coach Dagenais said, "She will always be remembered as a shutdown blocker who could be placed on the opponent's top hitter. With her quick jump and fast arm, her ability to score took the pressure off others on the team and allowed us to be a much more balanced team. She always showed up big in big matches and that is something she can look back on her career and be proud of."
A phenomenal five-year career ends with a first-time All-Region honor for Anne-Marie Watson.
The Oviedo, Florida native has been a dual threat for the Knights as both an attacker and a blocker as she was second on the team in block assists (125), total blocks (130), and kills (306). She ends her career with two program records and is fifth in active career leaders with 586 total blocks.
Watson was unanimously named to the All-Conference First Team for the third time in her career and earned a player of the week honor this season.
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