Katarina Krstonosic Named ECC Women's Volleyball Player Of The Year

Central Islip, N.Y. – In her first season in a Bridgeport uniform, junior outside hitter Katarina Krstonosic (Kikinda, Serbia) has been named the East Coast Conference Volleyball Player of the Year.  For the second time in her career, LIU Post senior libero Rachel Ringor (Honolulu, Hawaii) has earned the Libero of the Year honor, while NYIT sophomore Allison Fowler (Centennial, Colo.) has been selected as the Setter of the Year. Daemen's Ashley Drzymala (West Seneca, N.Y.) wraps up the conference's major awards by earning the Rookie of the Year honor. 

Krstonosic has an outstanding debut season in Connecticut, ranking among the conference leaders in numerous categories. Heading in to the ECC Championship, she leads the conference with 397 kills, 3.61 kills per set, and 455.5 points. The five-time ECC Player of the Week also is second in the league with 4.1 points per set and eighth with a .263 hitting percentage. Krstonosic showed off a well rounded game by ranking among the ECC leaders with 43 service aces and 363 digs, as well.

After earning the honor in 2013, Ringor wraps up her stellar career at LIU Post with her second Libero of the Year honor. Ringor was the anchor of the Pioneers' defense, scooping up 391 digs and 4.16 digs per set on the season. She also contributed with a deadly serve. Her 45 service aces on the year is currently good for fourth in the ECC and her mark of 0.48 service aces per set ranks 34th in all of Division II.

Fowler, a three-time ECC Setter of the Week, brings home the honor of the conference's top setter. She wrapped up the regular season atop the ECC leader board with 10.28 assists per set after compiling 1,090 assists over 30 matches and 106 sets. Fowler also contributed to the Bears' impressive season with 68 kills, 223 digs, 33 service aces, and 38 total blocks.

Drzymala began her collegiate career with a bang to be named the conference's top rookie. She finished in the top-three in the ECC with 360 kills, 3.60 kills per set, and 426.5 points. She also leads the conference with 4.3 points per set. The four-time ECC Rookie of the Week also has one of the toughest serves to return in the country. Her total of 51 aces is second in the ECC and 16th nationally. In addition, her 0.51 service aces per set mark is tops in the conference and good for 19th in Division II.

Gail Wasmus of NYIT has been selected as Coach of the Year for the fourth time in her career by her peers. After missing the ECC Championship in 2014, Wasmus led the Bears to a bounce back season in 2015. NYIT finished with a 24-6 overall record and a 12-4 mark in the ECC to earn the No. 3 seed in the upcoming conference tournament.

Joining Krstonosic on the All-Conference First Team are Kate Brock (Sr., MB, River Edge, N.J.) and Karolina Moderova (So., OH, Zalesie, Slovaki) of NYIT, Arielle DiCocco (Sr., RS, Blue Point, N.Y.) of Queens, Frida Randen (Jr., MB/RS, Sodertalje, Sweden) and Sarah Rosa (Sr., OH, Itajuba, Brazil) of Bridgeport, and Weronika Wiezik (Jr., OH/RS, Szczyrk, Poland) of Dowling.

Drzymala and Fowler are joined on the All-Conference Second Team by Dragana Jelovac (Sr., MB, Tivat, Montenegro) and Katarzyna Klocek (Jr., RS, Poznan, Poland) of Dowling, Emily Mankowski of NYIT (So., RS/OH, Naperville, Ill.), Danielle Valenza (So., OH/MH/RS, Hauppauge, N.Y.) of LIU Post, and Ye Wang (Sr., MB, Beijing, China) of Daemen.

Kayla Dillman (Sr., S, Rochester, N.Y.) of Dowling and Giulia Genna (Fr., S, Civitella San Paolo, Italy) of LIU Post wrap up the All-Conference honorees as Honorable Mention selections.

2015 ECC Volleyball All-Conference

First Team

Kate Brock, Sr., MB, NYIT

Arielle DiCocco, Sr., RS, Queens

Katarina Krstonosic, Jr., OH, Bridgeport

Karolina Moderova, So., OH, NYIT

Frida Randen, Jr., MB/RS, Bridgeport

Sarah Rosa, Sr., OH, Bridgeport

Weroinka Wiezik, Jr., OH/RS, Dowling

Second Team

Ashley Drzymala,  Fr., OH, Daemen

Allison Fowler, Sr., S, NYIT

Dragana Jelovac, Sr., MB, Dowling

Kataryna Klocek, Jr., RS, Dowling

Emily Mankowski, So., RS/OH, NYIT

Danielle Valenza, So., OH/MH/RS, LIU Post

Ye Wang, Sr., MB, Daemen

Honorable Mention

Kayla Dillman,  Sr., S, Dowling

Giulia Genna,  Fr., S, LIU Post

Player of the Year: Katarina Krstonosic - Bridgeport

Libero of the Year: Rachel Ringor - LIU Post

Setter of the Year: Allison Fowler - NYIT

Rookie of the Year: Ashley Drzymala - Daemen

Coach of the Year: Gail Wasmus - NYIT