Air Force Duo Earns All-Conference Recognition
11/30/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 30, 2015
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Two members of the Air Force volleyball team were honored by the Mountain West this afternoon (Nov. 30), as senior Akokwe Clement was named to the all-conference team and sophomore Shelley Spires earned honorable mention status.
Clement became the first Division I player in Academy history to capture all-conference honors in multiple years, as she also received all-MW accolades as a junior.
The senior was ranked third in the conference in both kills (3.83) and points (4.39), while her 28 kills against San Diego State is the conference's second-highest single-match total of the season and her 27 kills against Army was tied for third. Clement accounted for 482 kills this year, en route to an Academy-record career total of 1,501. The Long Beach, Calif., native added 29 aces, 252 digs, 72 blocks (13 solo, 59 assisted) and a .189 hitting percentage to her final stat line.
Spires became the second Air Force player in as many years to earn all-MW honorable mention status after ranking among the conference leaders in kills during the conference season (3.08, sixth) and overall (2.91, 10th). The sophomore, who earned the second 20-kill match of her career with 21 against Utah State, collected 367 kills on the year behind .200 attacking. Spires, a native of Mobile, Ala., added 45 blocks, 67 digs and five assists to her season.
Air Force finished the season with a 12-21 overall record, which included a 5-13 conference mark.
ALL-CONFERENCE: Akokwe Clement (Air Force), Sarah Baugh (Boise State), Sierra Nobley (Boise State), Maddy O'Donnell (Boise State), Kaitlyn Oliver (Boise State), Maddie Osburn (Boise State), Acacia Andrews (Colorado State), Adrianna Culbert (Colorado State), Alexandra Poletto (Colorado State), Alex Reid (Colorado State), Maggie Eppright (Fresno State), Madison Morell (Nevada), Skye Gullatt (New Mexico), Hannah Johnson (New Mexico), Deja Harris (San Diego State), Bree Hammel (UNLV), Laura Beach (Wyoming), Kayla Slofkiss (Wyoming)
HONORABLE MENTION: Shelley Spires (Air Force) , Jaime Colaizzi (Colorado State), Simone Henderson (New Mexico), Cassie House (New Mexico), Bailey Little (San Diego State), Tyanna Roy (San Jose State)
MAJOR AWARDS: Adrianna Culbert, Colorado State (Player of the Year), Reed Copeland, Wyoming (Freshman of the Year), Alex Reid, Colorado State (Newcomer of the Year), Shawn Garus, Boise State (Coach of the Year)
