Daron Secures AVCA All-Southwest Region Honorable Mention Selection
12/4/2018 11:31:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Junior middle blocker is fifth Ladyjack in program history to collect AVCA All-Region accolades
Complete AVCA Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. - In an announcement made Wednesday by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), SFA junior middle blocker Danae Daron was named an AVCA NCAA Division I All-Southwest Region Honorable Mention for the 2018 season.
Daron, who hails from Crosby, Texas, is the only Southland Conference player to appear on the list of AVCA NCAA Division I All-Region honorees and joins Jill Ivy (Honorable Mention in 2014), Stephanie Figgers (All-Central Region in 2006, Honorable Mention All-Central Region in 2005), Krisna Johnson (All-District Seven in 1996) and Michelle Reid (Third Team All-South Region in 1992) as the only players in SFA history to get their hands on AVCA NCAA Division I All-Region accolades.
One of the linchpins of the Ladyjacks' game plan night in and night out, the middle blocker played in 33 of the team's 35 matches through 2018 and never failed to make an appearance in the starting lineup. Few in the Southland matched both the offensive and defensive prowess of Daron who led both SFA and the 13-team league in attack percentage with a mark of .347 which also ranks as the 74th-highest in the nation at the moment.
The junior also led SFA and ranked third in the Southland with 1.25 blocks per set while ranking second on the team in kills per set (2.33) as well. Her blocks per set average is the 42nd-best nationally while her 143 total rejections represent the second-highest total in the Southland as well as the 33rd-highest sum nationally.
Through the season, Daron put forth nine efforts of 10 or more kills and 15 outings of five of more blocks to emerge as one of the Ladyjacks' most consistent all-around weapons.
Daron's All-Southwest Region Honorable Mention selection is the latest in a long line of awards for the standout middle blocker in 2018. She earned the title of Southland Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player just days after being named an All-Southland Conference First Team choice for the second-straight season. Twice through the 2018 campaign Daron was named the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week (Nov. 5 and Sept. 10) and on Tuesday, Nov. 6, she became the first player in program history to earn the title of SportsImports/AVCA NCAA Division I National Player of the Week following a record-setting week against Southland foes Sam Houston State and Abilene Christian.
During that two-match stretch, Daron hit an astounding .625 and killed 2.75 balls per set. The junior's offensive brilliance, however, was just one half of the equation as she also averaged 2.50 blocks per set due largely to one of the most dominant front row performances across all of NCAA Division I volleyball this season. Against Abilene Christian, SFA generated 25.5 total blocks in a four-set victory over the Wildcats which ranks as the highest four-set total in a single match by any NCAA Division I volleyball team in 2018. Individually, Daron generated a career-high 13 blocks in that match which ranks as the second-highest single-match total in program history and the third-most in a four-set match by any NCAA Division I player in 2018.
Daron was instrumental in helping the Ladyajcks construct one of the best seasons in program history in 2018. SFA established a new single-season records in both wins and winning percentage (.914) by going 32-3 as a whole which featured a perfect 16-0 in Southland Conference action. From Saturday, Sept. 1 until Thursday, Nov. 29, the Ladyjacks reeled off a nation-leading and program record 29 consecutive wins en route to the program's 10th Southland Conference regular season title, fifth Southland Conference Tournament crown and first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2006.
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