Women's Volleyball | 11/20/2019 4:00:00 PM

    BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – West Liberty University's Madison Clayton was a first-team selection and record-setting senior Kailee Cunningham became a rare 4-time All-Conference pick here Wednesday when the Mountain East Conference volleyball coaches announced the 2019 All-MEC Teams.
    It's the second straight honor for Clayton, a 6-5 junior middle blocker from Roseville, Ohio who earned honorable mention from the league coaches as a sophomore.
    A dominant presence at the net for Coach Kayla Mull's Hilltoppers, Clayton finished the regular season ranked fourth among all MEC players with a .325 hitting percentage. She led West Liberty in hitting percentage, kills (229) and blocks while tying for second on the team with 25 service aces.
    Cunningham repeated as a second-team All-MEC selection at libero after ranking fourth in the MEC with 5.20 digs per set. The 5-9 veteran from Independence, Ohio is winding down one of the more impressive careers in school history, ranking No. 3 among all active NCAA Division II women with a school-record 2,468 career digs while also ranking near the top of the WLU charts with 490 sets played.
    Heading into this week's Mountain East Conference Tournament, Cunningham leads West Liberty with 546 digs and 33 service aces.
    Wheeling's Stephanie Sylvester was the MEC Player of the Year while the Cardinals' Audrey Francis and Christy Benner repeated as Libero of the Year and Coach of the Years, respectively. Urbana outside hitter Maggie Burns was the MEC Freshman of the Year.
    West Liberty opens MEC Tournament play on Thursday with a 5 p.m. quarterfinal against Davis & Elkins. The tournament is being held at the McDonough Center in Wheeling, W.Va.
         Player of the Year: Stephanie Sylvester (Wheeling)
     Libero of the Year: Audrey Francis (Wheeling)
     Freshman of the Year: Maggie Burns (Urbana)
     Coach of the Year: Christy Benner (Wheeling) Pos.            Name                                    School                              Cl.             Hometown
OH               Kaitlyn LaCour                     Davis & Elkins                  Sr.             New Orleans, La.
OH               Mary Kate McHugh            Notre Dame                     Sr.             North Canton, Ohio
OH               Jenna Dufresne                   W.Va. State                     So.            Bedford, Ind.
MB              MADISON CLAYTON          WEST LIBERTY                JR.             ROSEVILLE, OHIO
MB              Haley Kramer                       Wheeling                          Sr.             Norwalk, Ohio
S                  Anna Davis                           Urbana                             Jr.              Aurora, Ohio
S                  Stephanie Sylvester            Wheeling                         Sr.             Oregon, Ohio
L                  Audrey Francis                    Wheeling                          Jr.              Sidney, Ohio
L                  Courtney Niesen                 Urbana                             Jr.              Cincinnati, Ohio Pos.            Name                                    School                              Cl.             Hometown
OH               Gabrielle Bullock                 W.Va. State                     So.            Pickerington, Ohio
OH               Breanna Kramer                  Wheeling                          Jr.              Norwalk, Ohio
OH               Hannah Delor                      Urbana                             So.            Marysville, Mich.
MH              Janeese VerVelde               Charleston                       Sr.             Oostburg, Wisc.
MB              Gabrielle Thompson           W.Va. State                     So.            Westerville, Ohio
MH              Rebecca Feeney                  Fairmont State                Jr.              Douglassville, Pa.
S                  Paige Staudacher                Notre Dame                     Sr.             Rochester Hills, Mich.
L                  KAILEE CUNNINGHAM     WEST LIBERTY                SR.            INDEPENDENCE, OHIO      L: Alexandra Kaeberlein (Notre Dame), Kelsey Matusic (Charleston), Kelly Smith (Davis & Elkins)
     S: Edwyna Lainez (Frostburg State)
     MB: Allonda Watkins (Wheeling)
     OH: Maggie Burns (Urbana), Julia DiPaola (Fairmont State), Cassie Meyer (Wheeling), Skylar Mace (Glenville State)
     OH: Jenny Lundy (W.Va. Wesleyan) Pos.            Name                                    School                              Cl.             Hometown
OH               Maggie Burns                       Urbana                             Fr.             Louisville, Ky.
OH               Emily Davis                           W.Va. State                     Fr.             Tiffin, Ohio
OH               Kaye Dregalla                      Notre Dame                     Fr.             Olmstead Falls, Ohio
OH               Jenny Lundy                         W.Va. Wesleyan             Fr.             Brazil, Ind.
OH               Amelia Moore                     Fairmont State                Fr.             Mansfield, Ohio
OH               Karlei Shaver                        Glenville State                 Fr.             Alderson, W.Va.