JERSEY, CITY, N.J. – The Fairfield University volleyball team garnered three major awards while two others were named to All-MAAC Teams this evening at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship banquet. Head Coach Alija Pittenger was named the Anaconda Sports Coach of the Year while sophomore Rachel Romansky was named the MAAC Setter of the Year and Caitlin Stapleton was selected as the MAAC Rookie of the Year.
 
Senior Kendal Dirkin was named First Team All-MAAC while junior Brianna Dixion, Romansky, and Stapleton were named to the All-MAAC Second Team. Stapleton was also named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team.
 
In her fourth season at the helm, Pittenger led the Stags to a 19-9 overall record and 16-2 MAAC record. She enters the MAAC Championship with a 71-54 overall record at Fairfield which includes a 58-14 MAAC record. The last Fairfield head coach to be named Coach of the Year was Jeff Werneke who garnered the award in 2006 and 2007.
 
Romansky has had an excellent sophomore campaign appearing in every set while averaging 10.80 assists per set, good for second in the MAAC, and 2.54 digs per set. Romansky also has 94 kills, 37 total blocks, and 22 aces while leading the team with 13 double-doubles. She is fifth all-time at Fairfield in career assists with 2,239 and has missed just one set in her entire career (223). The last Stag to be named MAAC Setter of the Year was Barbie Thistle who earned the honor in both 2006 and 2007.
 
Stapleton has had an outstanding rookie campaign, averaging 2.45 kills per set and stands second on the team in total blocks with 70. Stapleton was named the MAAC Rookie of the Week twice this season and has recorded at least eight kills in 15 of her last 16 matches. Stapleton is the first Rookie of the Year since 2009 when Dixion earned the honor.
 
Dirkin has saved her best season as a Stag for last, leading the MAAC with a .343 attack percentage. Entering the MAAC Championship, Dirkin has hit over .300 in 12 of the last 14 matches. The middle blocker also is averaging 2.12 kills per set and leads the Stags with 79 total blocks. Dirkin has steadily moved up Fairfield's career charts this season and stands seventh all-time in block assists (205) and tenth all-time in total blocks (233).
 
Dixion earned All-MAAC Second Team honors for the third straight season. She is averaging a team-best 3.17 kills per set this year which is also good for eighth in the MAAC. Dixion has had 10+ kills in 12 matches this season and recorded 20+ three times. For her career, she enters the MAAC Championship with 917 career kills.

Senior Lauren Balmert, senior Bethany Steiger and sophomore Hayley Moyer were all named to the MAAC All-Academic Team along with Dirkin.

 
Fairfield begins its quest for a MAAC Championship on Saturday, November 19 at 4pm when it takes on third-seeded Siena College in the semifinals in Jersey City, N.J. The second-seeded Stags enter the 2011 MAAC Championship as winners of seven straight and 16 of the last 18 matches. Fairfield has lost just one set in the last six matches.
 
 
2011 All-MAAC First Team

Kendal Dirkin	Fairfield University
Joanna Foss	Marist College
Hannah Hedrick	Niagara University
Sam Morgan	Niagara University
Kari Honomichl	Niagara University
Taylor Akana	Siena College

2011 All-MAAC Second Team

Danielle Brawn	Canisius College
Samantha Good	Canisius College
Brianna Dixion	Fairfield University
Rachel Romansky	Fairfield University
Caitlin Stapleton	Fairfield University
Alicja Pawelec	Iona College
Catrina Warren	Iona College
Malia McGuinness	Manhattan College
Ellen Senf	Niagara University

2011 All-MAAC Rookie Team

Caitlin Stapleton	Fairfield University
Catrina Warren	Iona College
Malia McGuinness	Manhattan College
Hollegn Henderson	Manhattan College
Marisa Gilbert	Marist College
Jacqueline Skeen	Siena College

2011 Award Winners

Rookie of the Year	Caitlin Stapleton	Fairfield University
Libero of the Year	Sam Morgan	Niagara University
Setter of the Year	Rachel Romansky	Fairfield University
Co-Defensive Players of the Year	Hannah Hedrick	Niagara University
	Lesli Akeo	Siena College
Offensive Player of the Year	Taylor Akana	Siena College
Anaconda Sports Coach of the Year	Alija Pittenger	Fairfield University