ROCK HILL, S.C. -- Winthrop senior outside/opposite Avery Jolley was tabbed as the Big South Conference Player of the Year, the first Player of the Year that Winthrop has garnered since Siani Yamaguchi in 2019.
In addition, head coach Heather Gearhart has been named as the Big South Conference Coach of the Year, once again the first time since now Athletic Director, Chuck Rey, did so in 2019.
Jolley's 2025 season is one for the record books, as she tied the program record with 30 kills in a single match in her final regular season game and crept into the top ten in numerous Winthrop career marks. Jolley finished the conference slate with 227 kills for 3.98 per set, also slotting in second in the conference with 4.46 points per set. Her dominance was recognized all year with a sweep of preseason honors, Big South Preseason Player of the Year and Preseason All-Conference, plus spots on the Winthrop Invitational and Furman Invitational All-Tournament Teams, and four Big South Player of the Week awards, a feat which only two Eagles have done in a single season (Mary Hock, 2004 & Becca Toor, 2011)
Gearhart was named the Coach of the Year after winning the conference regular season title. Gearhart guided the Eagles to an 18-6 overall record, with a 12-2 mark in conference play. Under Gearhart, the Eagles closed Big South play on a ten-game winning streak and captured ten home wins for the first time since 2019.
Winthrop also placed five more student-athletes on the All-Conference teams, with Rachel McCollum joining Avery Jolley on the First Team All-Conference. Two more Eagles join the honors with Paige Bennett and Teagan Sychterz grabbing Second Team All-Conference. Giselle Little rounds out the All-Conference mentions with a spot to the Honorable Mention squad. Addison Torain finishes up her freshman season with a place on the All-Freshman team.
2025 Big South Conference Volleyball Award Winners
First-Team All-Conference
Avery Jolley, OH/OPP, Sr., Winthrop
Élodie Lalonde, OH, Soph., High Point
Maya Bukovcan, MB, Fr., High Point
Ady O'Grady, MB, Sr., USC Upstate
Kamyla Vega David, S, Soph., USC Upstate
Rachel McCollum, S, Sr., Winthrop
Nalani McBride, LIB, Gr., Gardner-Webb
Michelle Thao, LIB, 5th Year, UNC Asheville
Second-Team All-Conference
Skylar Yates, OH, Sr., Charleston Southern
Summer Kohler, OH, Fr., USC Upstate
Remy Catojo, S, Fr., High Point
Addison Freeland, MB, Soph., High Point
Paige Bennett, OH, Soph., Winthrop
Teagan Sychterz, MB, R-Soph., Winthrop
Emily Struckmeyer, MB, Sr., Charleston Southern
Honorable Mention All-Conference
Albertine van der Goot, RS, Jr., UNC Asheville
Kylie Cackovic, OH, R-Jr., UNC Asheville
Giselle Little, MB, Soph., Winthrop
Kensley Haneline, MB, Fr., USC Upstate
Sophia Overholt, DS/LIB, Fr., USC Upstate
All-Freshman Team
Maya Bukovcan, MB, Fr., High Point
Summer Kohler, OH, Fr., USC Upstate
Remy Catojo, S, Fr., High Point
Kensley Haneline, MB, Fr., USC Upstate
Sophia Overholt, DS/LIB, Fr., USC Upstate
Olivia Ryno, RH/OH, Fr., Radford
Addison Torain, DS, Fr., Winthrop
All-Academic Team
Emily Struckmeyer, Sr., Charleston Southern
Milla Lugo, Jr., Gardner-Webb
Allie Gray, Gr., High Point
Julia Yurkovich, Jr., Presbyterian
Rylee Sloss, Sr., Radford
Albertine van der Goot, Jr., UNC Asheville
Ady O'Grady, Sr., USC Upstate
Avery Jolley, Sr., Winthrop
Player of the Year
Avery Jolley, OH/OPP, Sr., Winthrop
Setter of the Year
Kamyla Vega David, Soph., USC Upstate
Co-Libero of the Year
Nalani McBride, Gr., Gardner-Webb
Michelle Thao, LIB, 5th Year, UNC Asheville
Freshman of the Year
Maya Bukovcan, MB, Fr., High Point
Newcomer of the Year
Nalani McBride, LIB, Gr., Gardner-Webb
Coach of the Year
Heather Gearhart, Winthrop
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Avery Jolley, Sr., Winthrop
