BATON ROUGE — Senior libero Elena Martinez was named the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year, junior Brittnee Cooper was named to the All-SEC First Team and Michele Williams was a unanimous selection to the SEC All-Freshman Team, the league office announced Monday.
The honor marks the second straight season Martinez has been named as the league’s top defender. In addition to being named defensive player of the year, Martinez was also named to the All-SEC Second Team. Martinez led the team and the SEC in digs and digs per set for the second straight season with 379 digs and a 5.12 digs per set average. She also carried the bulk of LSU’s service receptions, and she only committed 15 reception errors in 606 attempts for a .975 percentage. She was a three-time SEC Defensive Player of the Week recipient and recorded double-digit digs in 19 of 20 SEC matches and 20 or more digs in 11 SEC matches.
“We are honored that the coaches of our league have chosen to recognize all three players,” LSU head coach Fran Flory said. “I certainly feel that each of them is worthy of the awards they have been given. Elena repeating as SEC Defensive of the Year was a difficult feat, but her commitment during the summer and her daily training during the season are the reasons she has been able to excel.”
Cooper was phenomenal in her junior season in league play as she ranked in the top 10 in several categories. She ranked fifth in the SEC in hitting percentage at .343 and ranked 10th in kills with a 3.05 kills per set average. Cooper also ranked second in the league in blocks per set with a 1.30 average on 96 blocks, including 23 solo. The Houston, Texas native also had more blocks in a single SEC game than any other player this season when she finished with 12 blocks against No. 8 Florida on Oct. 24. Cooper led the team in kills in conference play with 226.
“Brittnee has had a tremendous year, and it is nice to see her receive first team recognition because she has worked hard consistently to improve every day,” Flory said.
Williams earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors by taking advantage of the opportunity to play more often when junior Lauren DeGirolamo went down with a season-ending injury midway through the season. Williams finished ninth in the SEC in hitting percentage at .302 and earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors on Nov. 10 when she led LSU with a .525 attack percentage against Mississippi State and Alabama. Williams finished third on the team in kills in SEC play as she recorded 162, and she also finished third on the team in kills per set by averaging 2.53. Defensively, Williams finished second on the team in blocks with 51, including 10 solo.
“For Michele to be recognized as a member of the SEC All-Freshman Team after playing just over a half of the season is a testament to the true impact she has had on the team,” Flory said.
“We are all certainly proud of what they each accomplished and how they have helped guide this team to the NCAA Tournament.”
LSU (18-9, 13-7) will compete in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against 14th-seeded and ninth-ranked UCLA (20-10, 9-9 Pac-10) in Los Angeles, Calif., on Friday at 10 p.m. CST. The Tigers will look to advance past the first round for the second straight season.
Player of the Year: Sarah Rumely, Kentucky
Defensive Player of the Year: Elena Martinez, LSU
Freshman of the Year: Kelly Murphy, Florida
Coach of the Year: Rob Patrick, Tennessee
Scholar Athlete of the Year: Kelsey Bowers, Florida
First Team All-SEC
Brooks Webster, Alabama
Kelly Murphy, Florida
Queen Nzenwa, Kentucky
Sarah Rumely, Kentucky
Brittnee Cooper, LSU
Belita Salters, South Carolina
*Nikki Fowler, Tennessee
Second Team All-SEC
Jessica Glover, Auburn
Elyse Cusack, Florida
*Maria Taylor, Georgia
Sarah Mendoza, Kentucky
Lauren Rapp, Kentucky
Elena Martinez, LSU
Rachel Kieckhaefer, Ole Miss
All-Freshman Team
Kristy Jaeckel, Florida
Kelly Murphy, Florida
Colleen Ward, Florida
Kathleen Gates, Georgia
*Becky Pavan, Kentucky
*Michele Williams, LSU
Regina Thomas, Ole Miss
*=Unanimous