ATLANTA - Senior outside hitter Emily Grieshaber of Kentucky State and junior libero Kaliah Carter of Albany State received the top honors as the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced its 2014 All-SIAC Volleyball Teams and awards prior to the league's championship tournament in Birmingham, Ala.
 
SIAC Western Divison champions, KSU, led this year's superaltives landing three of the four individual awards.
 
Grieshaber was named SIAC Most Valuable Performer and Offensive Player of the Year with Carter earning Defensive Player of the Year. Joining Greshaber and Carter for top honors include KSU teamates, Kiara Rivera and Anjelique Kyle. Rivera was named Newcomer of the Year while Kyle was voted Setter of the Year.
 
Claflin head coach Vernell Keitt-Capers was named SIAC Volleyball Coach of the Year.
 
All awards and All-SIAC selections were voted on by the league's head coaches.
 
Grieshaber capped off her fourth year as a member of the KSU program finishing the regular season second in kills (3.46 kills per set).  The 2014 preseason player of the year and 2013 SIAC Player of the Year finished with 392 kills, 33 service aces, 171 digs and 21 total blocks.  She had double-digit kills in 22 matches this season including 20 kills against the University of the Cumberlands in October.
 
Carter was named Defensive Player of the Year leading the SIAC in digs during the regular season.  She tallied 272 digs this season – an average of 4.39 digs per set – while garnering five kills and seven aces.  She finished with at least 10 digs in 14 matches this season, led by a 23-dig performance at Benedict in early October.
 
After transferring from Barton Community College, Rivera  tallied 331 digs over 35 matches while finishing with nine kills and 36 service aces. In 15 matches, she tallied double-digit in digs, including 20 digs against both Asbury University and Spring Hill College. 
 
Kyle handed out more than 1,000 assists during the regular season.  She averaged 9.26 assists per set while garnering 68 kills, 57 aces and 40 total blocks.  Against Spring Hill College in September, she handed out 55 assists while finishing with 48 assists against Union College and the University of Charleston.
 
Keitt-Capers was named the SIAC Coach of the Year after guiding the Lady Panthers to a 19-14 overall mark and a 13-4 record in SIAC contests.  In her 18th season at the helm of the Lady Panthers, she received her second SIAC Coach of the Year (2013) while guiding Claflin to the number one seed in the SIAC's Eastern Division.
 
Joining Grieshaber on the All-SIAC first team were outside hitters Latosha Scott (Kentucky State) and Briana Sheperd (Fort Valley State), middle blockers Bria Bronston (Claflin) and Pam Allen (Tuskegee), libero Courtney Person (Claflin) and setter Caleen Hawkins (Claflin)
 
The second team features Carter and Kyle along with outside hitters Jennifer Evans (Albany State), Kiaia Johnson (Claflin) and Alexandria Mattox (Clark Atlanta) along with middle blockers Kirtrice Ploucha (Kentucky State) and Briana Gatlin (Miles).
 
Claflin and Kentucky State each had four players selected to the all-conference teams while Albany State had two. Fort Valley State, Miles, Tuskegee and Clark Atlanta each garnered one all-league selection.
 
SIAC MVP & Offensive Player of the Year
Emily Grieshaber (Kentucky State)
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Kaliah Carter (Albany State)
 
Newcomer of the Year
Kiara Rivera (Kentucky State)
 
Setter of the Year
Anjelique Kyle (Kentucky State)
 
Coach of the Year
Vernell Keitt-Capers (Claflin)
 
FIRST TEAM
OH - Emily Grieshaber (Kentucky State)
OH - Latosha Scott (Kentucky State)
OH - Briana Sheperd (Fort Valley State)
MB - Bria Bronston (Claflin)
MB - Pam Allen (Tuskegee)
L - Courtney Person (Claflin)
S - Caleen Hawkins (Clafin)
 
SECOND TEAM
OH - Jennifer Evans (Albany State)
OH - Kiara Johnson (Claflin)
OH - Alexandria Mattox (Clark Atlanta)
MB - Kirtrice Ploucha (Kentucky State)
MB - Briana Gatlin (Miles)
L - Kaliah Carter (Albany State)
S - Anjelique Kyle (Kentucky State)