Cullen, Shime on AVCA Div. I Player of the Year watch list

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Cullen, Shime Earn Spots on AVCA Division I Player of the Year Watchlist

DALLAS (SMU) - Graduate students Celia Cullen and Naya Shime have been added to the 2024 Division I AVCA Player of the Year Award Watch List, announced by the association on Friday. Cullen and Shime have been instrumental to the Mustangs' historic success this season.

Last month, the AVCA created a Watch List for its 2024 Division I Player of the Year Award, presented by Nike Volleyball. Friday, the association added 16 players to the original list of 36, with Cullen and Shime being two of the 16.

After being named the American Setter of the Year last season, Cullen has continued to show why she is one of the best Setters in the country with her play this season in the ACC. Cullen leads the ACC in total assists with 628 and is third in the conference in assists per set at 9.66 this season. She paces an SMU offense that ranks in the top 25 in hitting percentage, with the team's swing at a .274 clip this season. She's reached 4,000 assists for her career in a sweep over Clemson earlier in the season and was also named ACC Setter of the Week after her play that same weekend.

Shime had a career season last season and is on track to top that this year on the Hilltop. The opposite hitter leads the Mustangs in kills this season with 212, averaging 3.48 per set, which is 11th in the ACC. Shime is also first on the team in points per set at 4.05 and third in blocks per set at 0.97. Shime was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week after leading the Mustangs with a team-high seven blocks as an opposite, averaging .88 blocks per set and 1.75 digs per set in SMU's two wins over Boston College and Syracuse.

The 2024 Watch List will be narrowed down in early November, and then the names of the finalists will be released before the AVCA Convention in mid-December. The 2024 AVCA Player of the Year will be announced on Friday, Dec. 20, in Louisville, Ky., during the AVCA Convention.

SMU Volleyball will take on Cal at Moody Coliseum on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT on ACCNX.