LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – IUP senior outside hitter
Natalie Cignetti (Indiana, Pa./Indiana) has been named the 2017 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Women's Volleyball Athlete of the Year, as the league announced its postseason awards on Thursday afternoon.
Cignetti is one of the top offensive weapons in the Atlantic Region as she currently leads the PSAC and ranks 12th in Division II with 4.34 kills per set. Her 469 kills in 31 matches are second in the conference and 11th in the country. Cignetti's .263 hitting percentage is the most in the best among PSAC outside hitters and is 11th overall in the conference rankings.
The co-captain has reached double-figures in kills 26 times this year, tallying 20-plus kills five times. She posted a season-high 25 kills in a four-set win over West Liberty, and her 22 kills against Lock Haven are tied for the 14th most by a Division II player in a three-set match this season.
Cignetti has 17 kill-dig double-doubles, posting a season-high 17 digs in IUP's PSAC quarterfinal loss to Edinboro earlier this week.
Her 4.86 points per set is also the top mark in the conference and ranks 12th in the country. Cignetti has nine 20.0-point outings, with a season-high 28.0 points coming against West Liberty and Lock Haven. She leads the team with 39 service aces and ranks eighth in the PSAC with 0.36 aces per set.
Cignetti among program's top players
These numbers add up to one of the top seasons in program history, as the kills and kills per set figures are the best since 2002. During the year, Cignetti became just the fourth player in IUP history to tally 1,000 career kills and is currently third all-time with 1,283. Her 3.67 kills per set also ranks third all-time, her 119 aces rank fifth, and .251 hitting percentage is 12th.
PSAC postseason awards
The Athlete of the Year honor for Cignetti is one of several as the PSAC announced its 2017 women's volleyball awards on Thursday afternoon. In addition to Cignetti,
Scott Pennewill was named the Coach of the Year and senior middle blocker
Gabby Egler (Pittsburgh, Pa./Barack Obama Academy) earned first team honors.
IUP's PSAC Athlete of the Year history
This is the first time since Laura Hall in 2002 that an IUP women's volleyball player has taken home PSAC Athlete of the Year honors. Hall, an IUP Hall of Famer, earned athlete of the year honors each year from 2002-04.
Follow
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's volleyball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPVB.
