BEVERLY, Mass. – Harmony Johnson of the Suffolk volleyball team picked up New England Women's Volleyball Association (NEWVA) All-Rookie Team honors, the regional organization announced Friday morning.
Johnson, a freshman from Riverside, California, is the first-ever Ram to earn all-region recognition, and is the only student-athlete from the Great Northeast Athlete Conference (GNAC) to receive such honors this season.
The setter, who garnered a spot All-GNAC third-team earlier this week, received the nod after helping Suffolk to the winningest season in the program's 24-year history with a 20-12 overall record and the best league ledger, 9-3, since joining the GNAC ranks in 1997.
Johnson set-up the Rams' 10.41 kps offense with 8.20 assists per set. Overall, she handed out 836 assists including 38 in the GNAC Quarterfinals sweep of Colby Sawyer, Suffolk's first-ever home playoff victory. The first-year produced a double-double on five occasions and surpassed the 40-assist mark three times highlighted by a career-high showing of 49 in a 3-1 victory over Regis, Oct. 23.
Established 33 years ago, the NEWVA Annual Award recipients are nominated by and voted on by the organization's members head coaches. The coaches represented the seven competing conferences in NCAA Division III including the GNAC, Little East Conference (LEC), Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC), North Atlantic Conference (NAC), New England Collegiate Conference (NECC), New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC).
2019 NEWVA AWARDS
NEWVA Player of the Year– Elizbeth Cameron, Babson
NEWVA Rookie of the Year– Laura Zuloaga, Babson
NEWVA Coach of the Year– Cora Thompson, Tufts
NEWVA ALL-NEW ENGLAND
FIRST TEAM
Elizabeth Cameron, Babson
Lauren Gedney, Wellesley
Andie Maloney, MIT
Caroline Flaharty, Bowdoin
Mackenzie Kennedy, Endicott
Alli Puccio, Babson
Gigi Alper, Middlebury
SECOND TEAM *
Zoey Gifford, Endicott
Leah Rogoz, Wentworth
Erin Denahm, Williams
Becca Houghton, Wheaton
Camryn Bancroft, Springfield
Anna Barry, Eastern Connecticut State
Izzy Seebold, Wellesley
Amanda Wetmore, WPI
Cori Gray, Bowdoin
Madison Lee, MIT
HONORABLE MENTION *
Alexis Groark, MIT
Kristen Carosotto, Babson
Corley Doyle, Middlebury
Collen MCAvoy, Endicott
Olivia Mathieu, Keene State
* Additional student-athlete recognized due to ties in the voting
NEWVA ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Laura Zuloaga, Babson
Catherin Reynolds, WPI
Ella Haugen, Bowdoin
Jordan Chapman, Wentworth
Emilee Flanagan, Plymouth State
Harmony Johnson, Suffolk
Kelly Moczulski, MCLA
Jaida Hodge-Adams, Bowdoin