BEREA, Ohio – Freshman outside hitter Alicia Lortcher (Norwalk) was named as the Ohio Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year to lead three Baldwin Wallace University volleyball players selected to the 2015 All-OAC team.
In addition to being named Freshman-of-the-Year, Lortcher also garners second-team All-OAC honors. Junior middle hitter Nikolette Scruggs (Barberton) and freshman outside hitter Morgan Thomas (Northfield/Nordonia) were tabbed as honorable mention selections.
Lortcher, who started all 30 matches and played in every set, earns her first All-OAC honor. She was the OAC Player of the Week on October 26 and was named to the Marcia French Memorial Invitational All-Tournament team. Lortcher led the team and was second in the OAC with 373 kills and 3.66 kills-per-set. She led the team with 33 service aces and was the team-leader and ranked sixth in the OAC in service aces-per-set with 0.32. Lortcher was second on the team and 13th in the OAC with 372 digs. She recorded a career-high tying 26 digs on two occasions and tallied a career-best 23 digs versus Marietta College on October 10.
Scruggs, who transferred from Hiram College this year, earns her first All-OAC accolade. She was named to the all-tournament team at the Susquehanna (Pa.) University Hampton Inn Crusader Classic and at the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference and Ohio Athletic Conference Cross Over. Scruggs appeared in all 30 matches and averaged 2.17 kills, 0.67 blocks and 0.27 service aces-per set. She was second the team in blocks (66) and with service aces (27). Scruggs was third on the squad with 215 kills. She had her best match of the season when she recorded 14 kills, nine digs and seven blocks at Case Western Reserve University on September 23.
Thomas, who appeared in 28 matches and 92 sets, earns her first All-OAC honor. She was second on the team and third in the OAC in kills with 297 and kills-per-set with 3.23. Thomas ranked fourth on the team with 35 blocks. She recorded career-highs of 19 kills and four assists in her first career OAC match against Muskingum University on October 3. Thomas had a career-best five blocks at Case Western Reserve. She tallied her first collegiate service ace in her first match of her career at Adrian (Mich.) College on September 1.
The Yellow Jackets ended the 2015 season with a record of 23-7 and a 6-3 mark in the OAC. The 23 wins were the most victories in a season since the 2006 season when BW went 26-7. The Yellow Jackets won 11 straight matches during the season to rank tied for fourth all-time in school history for consecutive wins.
