Rice University’s Volleyball Owls Selected to Preseason All-AAC Team
Graduate student right side hitter Emilia Weske, senior outside hitter Danyle Courtley, senior libero Nia McCardell, and senior outside hitter Sahara Maruska were all named to the American Preseason Team.
The Owls were picked to finish second in the West Division behind first-place SMU.
Weske joins the Owls after spending the last four years at USC, earning All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention as a junior. Last season, she played in 33 matches making 28 starts. She recorded 309 kills (2.45 kps) to rank third on the team while hitting .275. She also had 41 services aces, 148 digs (1.17 dps), and 79 blocks for 392.0 points. Weske notched double-digit kills in 15 matches, posting a season-high 20 kills at Cal.
Courtley earned Second Team All-Conference USA honors last year after ranking 15th in the conference in kills per set with 2.76. She was third on the team in kills (315), total points (362.5), and blocks (48) and fourth in kills per sets. She recorded at least 10 kills 17 times, twice notching a career-high 22 kills, at No. 18 Oregon No. 22 WKU. She also recorded her first career double-double against Baylor in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
McCardell had a coming out party last year, earning C-USA’s Libero of the Year while being named Honorable Mention All-American by VolleyballMag.com. A First Team All-Conference USA member, she led C-USA in total digs (553) and was second in digs per set (4.69). She enters the 2023 campaign averaging 3.82 digs per set in her career, the third-most in school history. She had 29 matches with at least 10 digs, including a career-high 36 in a win over Texas Tech, tying the third-most in a match in school history.
Maruska earned Conference USA All-Tournament Team honors, helping the Owls to the tournament championship. She ranked 13th in C-USA in kills per set (2.82) and was second on the team in kills (333), kills per set, total points (385.0), digs (311) and digs per set (2.64). She recorded at least 10 kills 19 times, including a career-high 22 against Colorado in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
West Division
SMU (7) 78
Rice (6) 76
Wichita State 59
North Texas 52
Tulsa 30
Tulane 24
UTSA 21
East Division
Memphis (6) 72
East Carolina (5) 70
Florida Atlantic (1) 48
Temple 48
South Florida (1) 37
UAB 35
Charlotte 33
The Owls were picked to finish second in the West Division behind first-place SMU.
Weske joins the Owls after spending the last four years at USC, earning All-Pac 12 Honorable Mention as a junior. Last season, she played in 33 matches making 28 starts. She recorded 309 kills (2.45 kps) to rank third on the team while hitting .275. She also had 41 services aces, 148 digs (1.17 dps), and 79 blocks for 392.0 points. Weske notched double-digit kills in 15 matches, posting a season-high 20 kills at Cal.
Courtley earned Second Team All-Conference USA honors last year after ranking 15th in the conference in kills per set with 2.76. She was third on the team in kills (315), total points (362.5), and blocks (48) and fourth in kills per sets. She recorded at least 10 kills 17 times, twice notching a career-high 22 kills, at No. 18 Oregon No. 22 WKU. She also recorded her first career double-double against Baylor in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
McCardell had a coming out party last year, earning C-USA’s Libero of the Year while being named Honorable Mention All-American by VolleyballMag.com. A First Team All-Conference USA member, she led C-USA in total digs (553) and was second in digs per set (4.69). She enters the 2023 campaign averaging 3.82 digs per set in her career, the third-most in school history. She had 29 matches with at least 10 digs, including a career-high 36 in a win over Texas Tech, tying the third-most in a match in school history.
Maruska earned Conference USA All-Tournament Team honors, helping the Owls to the tournament championship. She ranked 13th in C-USA in kills per set (2.82) and was second on the team in kills (333), kills per set, total points (385.0), digs (311) and digs per set (2.64). She recorded at least 10 kills 19 times, including a career-high 22 against Colorado in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
West Division
SMU (7) 78
Rice (6) 76
Wichita State 59
North Texas 52
Tulsa 30
Tulane 24
UTSA 21
East Division
Memphis (6) 72
East Carolina (5) 70
Florida Atlantic (1) 48
Temple 48
South Florida (1) 37
UAB 35
Charlotte 33