Bowling Green, KY – A day ahead of the Mid-South Conference Tournament championship match, several members of the 24^th-ranked University of the Cumberlands Volleyball team garnered MSC accolades.  The Patriots garnered five MSC First Team All-Conference selections to go along with capturing five top honors as part of the 2026 MSC awards, announced by league officials Thursday.
 
For the second consecutive year the Patriots were well represented with the top awards. Brynnley Bryant was named MSC Player of the Year, while Savanah Jolly repeated as the MSC Setter of the Year.  Rounding out the player recognition, Alana Shiery collected the MSC Defender of the Year. In addition, Head Coach Dr. Kathryn Park was named MSC Coach of the Year for the third time, while Jung Park earned MSC Assistant Coach of the Year honors for the third consecutive season.
 
Five Cumberlands players garnered MSC First Team All-Conference honors. Joining Bryant, Jolly, and Shiery are Sara Zampedri and Martina Frangella.
 
The Patriots continues to be one of the premier programs in the NAIA after capturing their second straight MSC regular season title.  UC notched a 29-4 record, including a 12-0 record in conference play.  
 
Bryant captured MSC Player of the Year honors after an incredible junior campaign. The Wilmington, OH was one of the most dominant attackers in the conference, leading the MSC with 399 kills, averaging 3.56 kills per set.  Bryant has posted a .254 hitting percentage while adding 272 digs, 38 blocks, and 26 aces. The junior notched double-digit kills in 21 matches, including a career-high 24 kills in UC's 3-2 win over Mount Vernon Nazarene.  Bryant also posted a 22 kills, 16 dig performances in the regular season finale at Campbellsville.  The junior also captured NAIA Attacker of the Year after an incredible performance at the IU Kokomo Invite. Bryant becomes just the fourth Patriot player to earn MSC Player of the Year honors.
 
Jolly made MSC history becoming the first player to capture MSC Setter of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons.  The season has been the catalyst for Cumberlands offense that has posted a .275 hitting percentage, which ranks fifth in the NAIA.  The Louisville, KY native leads the MSC averaging 9.93 assists per sets, which ranks 16^th in the NAIA, while dishing out 1,102 assists on the year.  Additionally, Jolly has notched 276 digs, 52 kills, 3 aces, and a career-high 40 blocks.  The senior setter notched 30 or more assists in 19 matches, including a season-high 52 assists in the win over Mount Vernon Nazarene.  Jolly also dished out her 3,000^th career assists, making her just sixth Patriot to clip that mark.  This marks the fourth straight season Jolly has garnered All-Conference recognition.
 
Shiery makes MSC history becoming the first middle blocker to collect MSC Defensive Player of the Year honors.  The junior has posted a career-high 125 blocks, averaging a conference leading 1.13 blocks per set.  In addition to her defense at the net, Shiery has notched 186 kills, a .359 attacking percentage (ranks 2^nd in the MSC), and 26 digs.  The Harrisburg, PA native has notched at least four blocks in 14 matches, including a career-high nine blocks in the win over Lindsey Wilson.  Her performance that week, which also included eight blocks against Union earned Shiery NAIA Defensive Player of the Week honors. 
Both Dr. Kathryn Park (Coach of the Year) and Jung Park (Assistant Coach of the Year) collected their respective honors for the third time in their career's.  UC's coaches have guided the Patriots to their second consecutive MSC regular season title after compiling a 29-4 record this season and a 26-match win streak against conference opponents.
 
Zampedri makes program history becoming Cumberlands first four-time MSC First Team All-Conference honoree.  The grad student was second in the MSC averaging 3.42 kills per set, to go along with 356 kills and a .278 attacking percentage.  Zampedri also notched 276 digs, 32 blocks, and 41 aces on the year. The Brecia, Italy native had double-digit kills in 23 games, while posting nine double-doubles on the year.  In last week's win over Georgetown, Zampedri became Cumberlands' career leader in kills as she now has recorded 1,722 kills. 
 
Frangella has made an immediate impact in her first season as a Patriot, recording 159 kills on a .362 hitting percentage while adding 94 blocks, ranking among the MSC leaders in both categories.  The junior ranks third in the MSC hitting percentage, while her 94 blocks are seventh in the conference.  Frangella notched a season-best six blocks in the win over Freed-Hardeman.
 
UC will return to action Friday, November 13^th, when they face second-seed Campbellsville for the MSC Tournament Championship.  First serve is set for 7:30 p.m.
 
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