2023 HockomockSports Volleyball Awards

 
Canton senior Jess Wright has been selected as the 2023 HockomockSports.com Volleyball Player of the Year. The Bulldogs’ outside hitter did everything during a historic season for the program, leading the way to an undefeated regular season and an appearance in the Division 2 state championship game.

Wright is a two-time Hockomock League All Star and a six-position player that never came off the court for the Bulldogs. Her improvement over the last two years resulted in a fantastic final year where Canton went 20-0 in the regular season. They went undefeated against Hockomock opponents (16-0) and only dropped four total sets in that stretch.

“Jess has a high volleyball IQ and was able to utilize varied maneuvers to kill the ball with very few errors,” said Canton head coach Pat Cawley. “She supported her younger teammates and was happy for everyone’s successes.”

Wright led the Bulldogs with 400 kills this season, which was tops in the Hockomock League and second in all of Division 2. She took over 800 swings this year and finished with a Canton record .371 hitting percentage. She also added 37 aces (on 95% serve accuracy) and 181 digs and was counted on as one of Canton’s primary serve receivers. She notched a program record 31 kills in a five-set state semifinal win.

“Jess was the best player on the best team,” said HockomockSports Editor Ryan Lanigan. “She did everything for the Bulldogs this year, and she did it at a high level. She was always very positive when she was out there and emerged as one of the most dangerous hitters in the area.”

She is the fifth Canton player to receive this award joining Taylor Harris (2019), Elizabeth Hamilton (2015), Erin Proctor (2014), and Avery Devoe (2013). Additional previous winners include Franklin’s Cailyn Mackintosh (2021) and Lauren McGrath (2018) along with King Philip’s Sydney Philips (2016, 2017).

Honorable Mentions: Natalie Brojek (Attleboro), Taylor Lacerda (Franklin), Sarah Hilliard (Oliver Ames)

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Editor’s Note: The HockomockSports.com Awards are selected strictly by our staff and have no affiliation to the official Hockomock League all stars. Please note players are listed alphabetically by position.

HockomockSports.com First Team

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Natalie Brojek – Attleboro – Setter
Attleboro senior Natalie Brojek finished her stellar career with another outstanding season for an Attleboro team that was a challenger for the Kelley-Rex division title and reached the Div. 1 quarterfinal for the second year in a row. The Assumption University-commit finished with 494 assists this season, which was more than eight per set. She also chipped in with 18 kills, 43 aces, and 108 digs. Brojek was selected as an all-star by the Hockomock League coaches. Attleboro coach Mary Katherine Runey said, “Natalie’s presence on the court brings our team a sense of calm. No matter what type of pass, she will make every ball playable for my hitters. It is hard to imagine our team without Natalie, but she was able to shift her leadership style to help develop and build the confidence of the younger members of our team.”

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Erin Bigham – Canton – Setter
Canton sophomore setter Erin Bigham continues to establish new program standards for the position. Bigham had 677 assists this year, including her 1,000th career assist, which made her the first sophomore and just the fifth setter in program history to reach that mark. In her second season playing volleyball, Bigham helped the Bulldogs win the Davenport title, have an unbeaten regular season, and reach the Div. 2 state title game. She was selected as an all-star by the league’s coaches. Canton coach Pat Cawley said, “She is a hard worker and a student of the game. She works tirelessly to get her teammates the perfect ball to kill. Erin has an aggressive serve and is an excellent defensive player. She is a big reason that Canton had such a great season.”

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Julia Leonardo – Attleboro – Outside Hitter
Attleboro junior Julia Leonardo was one of the most dynamic hitters in the league again this season and a critical piece of the Bombardiers continuing one of the best stretches in program history. With Leonardo leading the way on the outside, Attleboro reached the Div. 1 quarterfinal for the second year in a row. She finished with 326 kills, 39 aces, 14 total blocks, and 220 digs, which was just one off the team high. Leonardo was selected as an all-star by the league’s coaches. Attleboro coach Mary Katherine Runey said, “Julia is always known has a lead hitter on our team, but I am most proud of the impact she has had this season as a captain. She builds up her teammates and has been impactful in mentoring our freshman team. Julia continues to work on coming back each season stronger, more precise, and next year will be no different.”

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Sarah Hilliard – Oliver Ames – Outside Hitter
Oliver Ames senior Sarah Hilliard concluded a great career with the Tigers with a fantastic final year. Hilliard is a four-year varsity player and has been one of the top attacking players in each of the last three seasons. Her power and placement give her an edge against opposing defenses. She finished this year with 345 kills (including her 1,000th in October) and is the all-time leader in program history. She added 36 aces and 190 digs, is committed to play at Bucknell University, and was selected as Hockomock League MVP by the coaches. “Sarah is one of the most competitive and respected student-athletes in the Hockomock League as well as the state,” said OA head coach Chelsea Cunningham. “Between her commitment to the game itself as well as the commitment to her role as leader for the team and the program, she is unstoppable at anything she sets her mind to. Her passion is contagious and she is one of the most talented players to be a part of our program.”

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Taylor Lacerda – Franklin – Outside Hitter
Franklin senior hitter Taylor Lacerda capped off her stellar four-year varsity career by helping the Panthers get back to the Div. 1 state semifinal for the second time in three seasons. Lacerda was more than just a hitter, contributing all over the court for Franklin. She finished with 42 aces, 240 kills, 15 blocks, and 303 digs. She was selected as an all-star by the Hockomock League coaches. Franklin coach Samantha Redmond said, “She has been essential to our team success all these years. She is an outstanding player who leads her team on and off the court. Franklin volleyball will have a big void to fill with her graduating but we are excited to watch her play at the next level.”

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Jess Wright – Canton – Outside Hitter
Canton senior Jess Wright has improved every season that she has been on varsity and closed out her career with a dominant fall on the outside, helping the Bulldogs win the Davenport division title, go unbeaten in the regular season, and reach the Div. 2 state title game. Wright led the league and was second in D2 with 400 kills, setting a program record by hitting at a 0.371 clip. She also contributed 37 aces and 181 digs. The HockomockSports.com Player of the Year (see above) was selected as a league all-star. Canton coach Pat Cawley said, “Coming into the 2023 season, we knew we would be leaning on Jess to lead the offense and shore up the defense. She did not disappoint.”

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Grace Lacerda – Franklin – Middle
Franklin senior middle Grace Lacerda is a four-year varsity player and two-year starter who accumulated 29 aces, 100 kills, and 20 blocks this season. Her play at the net helped the Panthers win another Kelley-Rex division title and upset No. 2 seed Haverhill to get to the Div. 1 semifinal for the second time in three seasons. Lacerda was selected as an all-star by the league’s coaches. Franklin coach Samantha Redmond said, “She has shown incredible dedication, strength, and smarts in the middle position; she always can find the empty spot on the floor. Grace is a huge positive impact to all players on and off the court, she is the one who will always be smiling and work hard to make sure the team is in their best mind space as well.”

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Addyson Smock – Oliver Ames – Middle
Oliver Ames junior Addyson Smock emerged as one of the most lethal hitters at the net this season, giving the Tigers another weapon at the net. In her third year on varsity, Smock was a top two-way player with a powerful attack and a big block. She finished with 75 kills and led the league with an impressive 0.363 hitting percentage on 273 swings. At the net, she was the first line of defense and did a great job, recording a league-best 57 solo blocks. “Her presence is powerful and dominant while being poised and focused throughout every match,” said OA head coach Chelsea Cunningham “She is a great leader for our program and continues to put 100% effort into every moment on and off the court.”

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Soley Rodriguez Martinez – Canton – Defensive Specialist
Canton freshman Soley Rodriguez Martinez made an instant impact at libero and her defensive prowess was one of the reasons that the Bulldogs won the Davenport title, went unbeaten through the regular season, and reached the Div. 2 state title game. She led the team and was second in the league with 291 digs, adding 74 aces as well. Rorgiquez Martinez was selected as an all-star by the Hockomock League coaches and as the HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year (see below). Canton coach Pat Cawley said, “Soley was the piece of the puzzle we needed! She has all the intangibles which are hard to teach and don’t show up on the stats sheet. Soley elevates the game of those around her.”

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HockomockSports.com Second Team

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Clare Kavoulis – Oliver Ames – Setter
Oliver Ames junior Clare Kavolius played a major role in helping the Tigers have another great season in 2023. In her second year as the starting setter, Kavolius dished out a league-best 651 assists this year, including the 1,000th of her career in mid-October. She also added 111 digs and 18 aces for OA, who posted an impressive 17-6 record. “Clare has been the primary setter for our offense for the past two seasons; she continues to grow each time she is on the court when she is building strong bonds with her team, and representing the OA volleyball program with integrity and pride,” said OA head coach Chelsea Cunningham.
 

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Remi Zides – North Attleboro – Setter
North Attleboro senior setter Remi Zides stepped in this fall and closed out her varsity career with a string of strong performances. While splitting time in a two-setter system, Zides finished the year with 213 assists and 12 aces and her accurate passing helped the Rocketeers get close to earning a top 32 ranking and a spot in the Div. 2 tournament. North Attleboro coach Rachel Gould said, “Remi is the definition of hustle and heart. She led the team by example and never gave up on any play. Without her, our team would not have been able to showcase the talent of our hitters.”
 

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Fiona Bailey – King Philip – Outside Hitter
King Philip junior Fiona Bailey played a key role for the Warriors this season as the team’s top hitter and an all-around, six-position player. Bailey led KP with 202 kills and 37 aces this season to help the Warriors, who graduated the top three hitters from the previous season, amass 12 wins and get back into the state tournament. Bailey was selected as an all-star by the Hockomock League coaches. KP coach Kristen Geuss said, “As a junior, Fiona played a key role in the success of KP volleyball. Fiona was our go-to hitter and a difference-maker on the court. She was effective ending the point in the front row and also had a strong back row attack. Fiona stepped up in competitive games and did not disappoint.”

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Elyssa Buchanan – Mansfield – Outside Hitter
Mansfield senior Elyssa Buchanan had another strong season on the outside for the Hornets, helping them finish with a winning record and nearly pull an upset of Burlington in the opening round of the Div. 2 state tournament. An athletic player who contributes on the front and back rows, Buchanan finished with 126 kills, 100 digs, 12 blocks, nine aces, and 15 assists. She was selected as an all-star by the Hockomock coaches. Mansfield coach Tara DeGirolamo said, “Elyssa is a leader on and off the court. She has a strong work ethic and puts 110 percent into everything she does. Her attitude, effort, and enthusiasm for the game make her a great teammate and player.”

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Addison Shelton – Attleboro – Outside Hitter
Attleboro junior hitter Addison Shelton had another impressive season for the Bombardiers, giving them another dynamic attacking threat and becoming an all-around, six-rotation player. Shelton’s growth helped Attleboro contend for the Kelley-Rex title and reach the Div. 1 quarterfinal for the second year in a row. She finished with 259 kills, 44 aces, 138 digs, and eight blocks. Shelton was selected as an all-star by the Hockomock League coaches. Attleboro coach Mary Katherine Runey said, “Addie has continued to progress and has truly impressed our competitors in the Hock. She has one of the most consistent blocks on our team, which has allowed us to center our defensive strategy around her presence in the front row. Addie is a quiet yet impactful leader on the court.”

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Makayla Kuykendall – Franklin – Outside Hitter
Franklin sophomore Makayla Kuykendall followed up her breakout freshman season with another impressive all-around campaign for the Kelley-Rex division champions. Adding her to the outside helped the Panthers make another run to the Div. 1 state semifinal. She finished the year with 74 aces, 197 kills, 17 blocks, and 351 digs. Kuykendall was selected as an all-star by the league’s coaches. Franklin coach Samantha Redmond said, “Being able to watch her play is something special, she has an incredible high volleyball IQ and is fantastic in both front row on offense and defensively as well. Mak brings the energy constantly and will never stop going all out until that final whistle sounds. Having her for two more years is a blessing and it will be a lot of fun to see how much more she will grow.”

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Noemie Eugene – North Attleboro – Middle
North Attleboro junior Noemie Eugene had a breakout season in the middle for the Rocketeers, giving them a formidable presence on both sides of the net. Eugene finished with 108 kills, 44 solo blocks, 20 double blocks, and 20 aces as the Rocketeers narrowly missed out on earning a top 32 spot in Div. 2. She was an honorable mention for league all-star, as voted on by the coaches. North Attleboro coach Rachel Gould said, “Her timing on her blocks and aggression at the net made her one of our greatest assets this season. Noemie is an incredibly poised and confident player on and off the court. Her leadership skills led her to being voted next year’s team captain.”

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Ryann O’Sullivan – King Philip – Middle
King Philip senior Ryann O’Sullivan stepped up for the Warriors this season and was one of the top producing middles in the league on both sides of the net, helping KP earn 12 wins and get back into the state tournament. O’Sullivan led the Warriors with 49 total blocks and she added 74 kills and 34 aces, contributing to KP’s success in multiple ways including valuable leadership for a relatively inexperienced group. KP coach Kristen Geuss said, “Ryann O’Sullivan was an impactful middle hitter. She was competitive at the net with her quick hits and aggressive blocking. She was a great spot server and her serves were hard to receive. Ryann had a high volleyball IQ and was a leader both on and off the court.”

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Zoe Scibelli – Canton – Defensive Specialist
Canton junior defensive specialist Zoe Scibelli was a key piece for the Bulldogs, helping them complete an unbeaten regular season, clinch the Davenport division title, and reach the Div. 2 state title game. The former libero moved into a new role this fall but remained vital to Canton’s defense, finishing second on the team and in the top 10 in the league with 198 digs. Scibelli also served up a league-best 99 aces. She was selected as an honorable mention for league all-star. Canton coach Pat Cawley said, “In a season where our goal was to serve well and pass well, Zoe was key. She read hitters and always seemed to be in the right place. She received the opponents’ serves and made high accuracy passes. Zoe has an aggressive and powerful serve.”

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Canton freshman Soley Rodriguez-Martinez has been selected as the 2023 HockomockSports.com Volleyball Underclassman of the Year. Rodriguez-Martinez stepped right into the lineup of the top team in the Hockomock League and made an already really good defense even better.

Rodriguez-Martinez took over as the starting libero for the Bulldogs, who went a perfect 16-0 against Hockomock teams and 20-0 during the regular season. The strength of the team was in its defense with returning all star Zoe Scibelli and Rodriguez-Martinez anchoring the back line. Even against some of the most feared hitters in the league, Rodriguez-Martinez was seemingly always in position and ready to pass the ball. Her ability to keep plays alive really gave the Dogs a big boost.

“Soley brings not only experience to the court, but also energy, hustle, and a never-say-die attitude,” said Canton head coach Pat Cawley. “She is an accurate passer, aggressive server, and strong receiver, but more importantly, Soley is humble and supportive!”

This was arguably the deepest group of underclassmen that the league has seen in a while but Rodriguez-Martinez was able to separate herself from the pack with her incredibly consistent play. Not only was she a tremendous defensive player, but she was also a weapon at the service line and had some big serves in the state semifinal, helping Canton reach the Division 2 state championship.

For the season, she had a team-high 291 digs (second in the Hock) along with an impressive 74 aces, which was also second in the league. Even as a freshman, she had no fear going up and attacking from the back row.

“Soley was a perfect fit in the Canton lineup,” said HockomockSports.com Editor Ryan Lanigan. “Canton is always a great defensive team and they got even better this year. She would make difficult plays look routine, always provided an energy boost, and would leave spectators in disbelief with some of the plays she would make.”

Rodriguez-Martinez is the second Canton player to be selected for this award and the first since Elizabeth Hamilton in 2013. Additional previous winners include King Philip’s Mary Campbell (2014) and Nicole Coughlin (2018), Mansfield’s Meg Hill (2015), Franklin’s Lauren McGrath (2016) and Cailyn Mackintosh (2019), Oliver Ames’ Allie Kemp (2017), and Attleboro’s Julia Leonardo (2021).

Honorable Mention: Makayla Kuykendall (Franklin), Erin Bigham (Canton), Lincoln Abramaitys (North Attleboro)

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Canton head coach Pat Cawley has been selected as the 2023 HockomockSports.com Volleyball Coach of the Year. Cawley led the Bulldogs to their 17th league title, completing an unbeaten Hockomock League campaign in the process, and to the Div. 2 state title game.

In another in a long line of successful seasons for one of the league’s perennial powers, Canton exceeded expectations by running through an undefeated regular season, including a perfect 16-0 in league play. It was Canton’s first Davenport division title since 2020. The Bulldogs rolled through most of the year, only dropping four sets in the regular season and only going to five sets twice all year.

Despite having only two seniors in the regular rotation and starting a freshman at libero and sophomore at setter, Canton finished with a record of 24-1, with the only loss coming to top seed and defending state champ Westboro in the final at Worcester State.

“Every team that faced Canton this season raved about their defense and how well-coached they were,” said HockomockSports.com Managing Editor Josh Perry. “That is a testament to Pat and her staff and how they get their team ready every match. Canton makes you work so hard for every point, and they always seem to be in the right positions. You see players improve as they work with Pat, over the course of their careers and even from match one to the end of a season.”

This is the third time that Cawley has received this award. She was also named Coach of the Year in 2016 and 2019 and is the only volleyball coach to have been honored multiple times. Cawley and boys hockey coach Brian Shuman (four times) are the only Canton coaches to receive this recognition multiple times in their respective sports.

Honorable Mention: Samantha Redmond (Franklin), Chelsea Cunningham (Oliver Ames), Mary Katherine Runey (Attleboro)