AVCA Honors Mississippi State Volleyball Duo

STARKVILLE – For the second time in program history, a pair of Mississippi State volleyball student-athletes landed on the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-South Region team.

The AVCA announced Tuesday (April 13) that junior right side hitter Gabby Waden earned the distinction, joined by all-region honorable mention selection and freshman libero Lilly Gunter. Waden and Gunter are MSU's first all-region honorees since Payton Harris in 2014 and follow Kimmy Gardiner and Roxanne McVey as the second Bulldog duo to achieve selections in the same season.

Waden was one of 18 student-athletes named All-SEC for the 2020-21 campaign after she ranked No. 6 in the league in kills (3.85 per set) and No. 8 in points (4.11 per set) following the conclusion of regular season play. The Columbia, South Carolina, native's .322 hitting percentage ranks No. 4 in program history.

While playing just three rotations in MSU's system, Waden tallied double-digit kills in 16 of 20 matches, with the other four all coming in three-set contests. During the spring portion of the season, Waden averaged 4.00 kills per set on a sharp .333 hitting percentage.

Gunter also earned an SEC All-Freshman Team selection after ranking No. 2 among league rookies in digs (3.43 per set), the sixth-highest mark of all SEC players. Wearing the libero jersey in every set of the 2020-21 season, she led an MSU defense that finished the regular season No. 6 in the conference in digs (13.93 per set).

The Oviedo, Florida, native received SEC Freshman of the Week praise after she totaled 30 digs (4.29 per set) and helped MSU hold Ole Miss to a .140 hitting percentage in State's series sweep of the Rebels. Gunter tallied a season-best 20 digs in two contests during her rookie season.

For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the program on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching @HailStateVB.

AVCA All-South Region Team
Taylor Bannister - LSU
Paige Briggs - Western Kentucky
Ciara Debell - Marshall
Nadia Dieudonne - Western Kentucky
Delaney Dilfer - Lipscomb
Emani' Foster - UNC Charlotte
Jillian Gillen - Arkansas
Taylor Head - Arkansas
Katie Isenbarger - Western Kentucky
Megan Kuper - Lipscomb
Fernanda Maida - UAB
Lauren Matthews - Western Kentucky
Samantha Rubal - Lipscomb
Gabby Waden - Mississippi State

Honorable Mention
Edie Brewer - North Carolina A&T
Raigen Cianciulli - LSU
Lilly Gunter - Mississippi State
Kayland Jackson - Western Kentucky
Kailin Newsome - Southeastern Louisiana
Meg Mersman - Lipscomb

Mississippi State University Athletics

AVCA Honors Mississippi State Volleyball Duo

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Players Mentioned

Lilly Gunter

Gabby Waden

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