Lock Haven, PA. - On Wednesday, the Conference Commissioner's Association (CCA) Division II All-Region Teams and the Wheeling University Volleyball team had two players make the list. Senior Libero Audrey Francis was named a CCA All-Region First Team Honoree while sophomore setter Karly Niesen made the CCA All-Region Second team. Both girls have been leaders for the Wheeling Volleyball team all season long and are gaining national attention for their efforts.
For Francis, it is her fourth time being recognized on the CCA All-Region team, and the third time that she has been named as part of the first team. She was on the First Team in both 2019 and 2018 and added a second team honor to her ledger back ion 2017. Francis has been one of the most dominating defensive players in Division II this season, finishing second in the nation in both digs (761) and digs/set (6.68). She was named the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Libero of the Year for the fifth consecutive season and was named to the All-MEC First Team for the fifth time in her career as well.
For Niesen, this is her first CCA All-Region Award, after finishing the year as the top setter in the nation statistically. She led the nation in assists (1,316) and assists per set (11.86). For her efforts she was named an All-MEC Second Team award winner and has been a big contributing factor for Wheeling's offensive success this season. The Cardinals finished the season second in the MEC with a .267 hitting percentage, and Niesen's passing was a big contributing factor to that success.
As the team heads into the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament, they will be looking to both their CCA All-Region winners to lead the way on the road to Tampa. They kick things off with a battle against the #8 seed Fayetteville State at 7:30 pm, a team they have faced three times in their history. Wheeling is hoping to start the tournament off strong and will look to their two CCA All-Region winners to lead the way throughout the tournament.
Tip-off for Wheeling's first round tournament match is scheduled for 7:30 pm inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center in Wheeling, West Virginia.
