Trio of Wolverines Named to All-Big Ten Teams
11/28/2018 2:30:00 PM | Volleyball
ROSEMONT, Ill. -- University of Michigan volleyball senior Carly Skjodt was selected to the 2018 All-Big Ten Conference first team, while senior Jenna Lerg received an All-Big Ten second team selection and freshman Paige Jones was named to the All-Freshman Team, the Big Ten Conference announced Wednesday (Nov. 28). Senior Maddy Abbott also earned postseason accolades as Michigan's Sportsmanship Award winner.
A unanimous first team selection, Skjodt leads the Wolverines in kills (4.17/set) and ranks second in digs (2.61/set). A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, Skjodt earned three Big Ten Player of the Week selections during the 2018 regular season. The senior outside hitter has started all 31 matches this season and played every set as a six-rotation player, posting 11 kill-dig double-doubles and leading the Wolverines in kills 21 times. She also has totaled six 20-plus kill matches on the year, including a career-high 29 in a five-set win over Indiana (Oct. 6). Additionally, Skjodt was a CoSIDA Academic All-District first team selection for the second straight year and was a candidate for the prestigious Senior CLASS Award. She was named the MVP of the Michigan Invitational Tournament and earned a selection to the War Eagle Invitational All-Tournament team. Prior to season, Skjodt was named to the 14-player preseason All-Big Ten team and was one of seven unanimous selections.
In her final season with the Maize and Blue, Lerg has anchored the back row as Michigan's libero. The Farmington Hills, Michigan, native leads the Wolverines with 4.90 digs per set, good for second in the Big Ten, and has finished with double-digit digs in 26 of 31 matches. The 5-foot-6 Lerg also has led Michigan in digs 25 times, and has recorded 20 digs or more on 10 separate occasions throughout the season. In addition to earning two Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week awards, she was named the MVP of the War Eagle Invitational Tournament and garnered a Michigan Invitational All-Tournament team selection. Lerg also was named a CoSIDA Academic All-District second team selection for the second year in a row.
Jones made a splash in her debut season with the Maize and Blue, starting every match as an outside hitter and playing in 108 of 110 sets. A native of New Bremen, Ohio, the newcomer ranks second on the team with 3.44 kills per set and has posted 19 double-digit kill performances on the season so far. In addition to a team-leading 34 service aces on the year, she has led the Wolverines in kills 11 times and tallied six kill-dig double-doubles. Her best performance came in a five-set win at Ohio State (Oct. 12), when she posted a career-high 23 kills at a .367 hitting percentage. Jones recently earned her first career Big Ten Freshman of the Week award (Nov. 26) and was named the MVP of the Michigan Challenge Tournament.
In addition to Michigan's three All-Big Ten honors, Abbott was recognized by the conference as the Wolverines' Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree. A native of Corona del Mar, California, Abbott has played in all 31 matches with one start so far this season, and ranks third on the team with 23 service aces. She also was recently named a CoSIDA Academic All-District second team selection.
In the specialty awards, Minnesota's Samantha Seliger-Swenson was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and Co-Setter of the Year, while Jordyn Poulter of Illinois shared the Co-Setter of the Year honor. Penn State's Kendall White was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and her teammate Jonni Parker was tabbed the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Minnesota head coach Hugh McCutcheon was voted Big Ten Coach of the Year by the coaches in the league as well as the media.
Michigan (22-9) will make its 18th postseason appearance this weekend when it faces off against Navy in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday (Nov. 30). The match will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the University of Pittsburgh, and first serve is slated for 4 p.m. inside the Petersen Events Center.
