By: Seth Stogsdill, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications
ATLANTA – The Southern Athletic Association released its postseason awards for the 2023 volleyball season and Centre was well represented, with four All-SAA selections and two major award winners.
First-year outside hitter
Syd Bietz was named the SAA Newcomer of the Year and earned a spot on the All-SAA First Team after a record-setting rookie season. Bietz finished with 342 kills on the year to set a new Centre freshman record. Her 31 kills against Sewanee set a new single-game program record and were the most recorded by any player in the SAA this season. Bietz is the second Centre player in a row to be named Newcomer of the Year after
Ally Knueven won the award last season.
Defensive specialist
Madi Barron was also named to the All-SAA First Team. Barron is the first Centre player since All-American Beth Cecil to earn all-conference honors all four years, with 2023 being her first time on the First Team. Barron finished with 479 digs to rank second in the conference. In the last weekend of the season, Barron became Centre's 25-point era career digs leader as she reached 1,634.
Junior setter
Emily Gardner was Centre's third All-SAA First Team selection. In her first year as full-time starter at setter, Gardner finished with 865 assists. On Sept. 26 at Sewanee, Gardner set a new Centre program record with 60 assists in a thrilling five-set victory for the Colonels. She also finished with 67 kills on a .217 hitting percentage from the setter position.
Junior middle hitter
Emily Goddin was the last All-SAA selection for the Colonels, earning Second Team honors for the second consecutive season. Goddin ranked second on the team with 235 kills and a .217 hitting percentage, including 11 games at .300 or better. She hit double digits in kills ten times this season, matching a career high with 16 against Baldwin Wallace on Sept. 9.
Finally, head coach Pat Robidoux was voted by his peers as the SAA Coach of the Year. In his fifth season at Centre, Robidoux guided the Colonels to their best record (20-8), best conference record (12-2) and best conference finish (second) since 2013. Centre leads the SAA in multiple defensive categories, including opposing hitting percentage, and also was regionally ranked for the first time since the 2013 campaign.
Centre volleyball will open postseason play on Thursday against Oglethorpe.
