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With the regular season complete for Independent Volleyball Association (IVA) teams, the conference has announced its conference awards in a vote conducted by the league coaches. IVA tournament top seed Lincoln Memorial is featured prominently on these awards.
The 2023 IVA Freshman of the Year Award went to Lincoln Memorial outside attacker Shay Spadero who was second on the team with both 2.92 kills per game and a .344 attack percentage. He also tallied 87 digs, 18 aces and 15 blocks.
Lincoln Memorial coach John Cash was named the 2023 IVA Coach of the Year Award, The Railsplitters ended the regular season with an overall record of 20-4, winning their final 17 matches of the regular season. The IVA No. 1 seed went 11-0 at home and 7-0 in league play.
Lincoln Memorial players shared the 2023 IVA Co-Offensive Players of the Year honors. Senior outside attacker Cole Campisano currently leads Lincoln Memorial with 2.97 kills per game and is third on the team with a .317 attack percentage. Redshirt junior middle attacker Matthew Gentry’s .481 hitting percentage is third nationally while his .436 aces per game is good for third in the conference.
The 2023 IVA Co-Defensive Players of the Year are Lincoln Memorial junior setter Kohl Kutsch and Queens senior libero Guillermo Jordan. Kutsch’s .677 blocks per game is good second on the team, while his 1.87 digs per game leads the team. Jordan’s 2.32 digs per game leads the conference and is good for sixth nationally. He also has shored up the Royals’ passing game with a solid .950 reception rate.
Lincoln Memorial led all IVA schools with six selections to the 2023 All-IVA teams. Queens had four selections, while Tusculum and Limestone had two each. First-year program Missouri S&T was represented on the Second Team by freshman outside attacker Nate Meyer.
2023 All-IVA First Team
Outside attacker – Albert Warzocha, Limestone
Middle attacker – Matthew Gentry, Lincoln Memorial
Setter – Kohl Kutsch, Lincoln Memorial
Outside attacker – Matthew Pilch, Queens
Outside attacker – Cole Campisano, Lincoln Memorial
Middle attacker – Shaphar Grant, Tusculum
Outside attacker – Shay Spadaro, Lincoln Memorial
2023 All-IVA Second Team
Outside attacker – Colby Landry, Tusculum
Libero – Guillermo Jordan, Queens
Opposite – Justin Sharfenaker, Lincoln Memorial
Outside attacker – Nate Meyer, Missouri S&T
Setter – Cayden Marin, Limestone
Outside attacker/Setter – Daniel Leitao, Queens
Outside attacker – Jack Brinkman, Queens
Libero – Tate Colebaugh, Lincoln Memorial