IRVING, Texas – The American Conference has announced the volleyball award winners and all-conference teams for the 2025 season ahead of the 2025 American Volleyball Championship, to be held November 21-23 at The Corral in Tampa, Florida. The selections were made by the league’s 13 head coaches who were not allowed to vote for their own players.
Tulsa led all teams with two major award winners as senior setter Brayden Hipp was voted Setter of the Year and freshman middle blocker Jill Hanson was named Freshman of the Year.
South Florida’s senior outside hitter Maria Clara Andrade earned a second straight Player of the Year honor. Charlotte’s senior libero Annika Thompson was named Libero of the Year. Rice’s Genny Volpe was named the Coach of the year.
A total of 20 players from ten member institutions earned American all-conference awards, as Rice led the way with five total honorees (two on the first team), while Charlotte and South Florida both added three selections.
Seven players were selected to the All-Freshman team, with Tulsa leading all teams with two honorees. Rice’s outside hitter Aaliyah Smith and Tulsa’s Hanson were both unanimously selected to the All-Freshman team.
Andrade becomes the third player in conference history to repeat as Player of the Year (Cincinnati’s Jordan Thompson, 2018-19; UCF’s McKenna Melville, 2020-22). In conference play, Andrade led the league in kills per set (4.55) and points per set (5.11), while finishing in the top ten in hitting percentage (.302).
Hipp becomes the first Golden Hurricane to earn Setter of the Year honors. She ranked third in conference play in assists per set (10.23), while helping lead Tulsa to the second-best team hitting percentage in the American (.257).
Thompson is the first 49er to earn American Libero of the Year honors. The senior anchored the Charlotte defense, averaging a league-best 4.86 digs per set in conference play. She had 20 more total digs than the next closest player.
Hanson becomes the second Golden Hurricane to earn Freshman of the Year honors, joining Dilara Gedikoglu (2019). Hanson exploded on the season for Tulsa, leading the conference in hitting percentage (.416). She was the lone player to hit above .400 in conference play. She also finished third in the league in blocks per set (1.21).
Volpe earns her first American Coach of the Year honor and the first for Rice after leading the Owls to its first outright regular season American Conference Championship and earning the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. Rice led the league in blocks (2.64 per set), digs (17.98 per set) and opponent hitting percentage (.146), while ranking second in points (18.16 per set) and kills (14.25 per set).
2025 American Conference Women’s Volleyball Regular-Season Awards
Player of the Year
Maria Clara Andrade, Sr., OH, South Florida
Libero of the Year
Annika Thompson, Sr., L, Charlotte
Setter of the Year
Brayden Hipp, Sr., S, Tulsa
Freshman of the Year
Jill Hanson, Fr., MB, Tulsa
Coach of the Year
Genny Volpe, Rice
First Team All-Conference
Jorda Crook, Jr., OPP, UAB
Kristen Birmingham, Sr., OH, Charlotte
Jessica Ricks, Gr., OPP, Charlotte
Annika Thompson, Sr., L, Charlotte
Kaia Mateo, Jr., S, Rice
Taylor Preston, Sr., OH, Rice
Maria Clara Andrade, Sr., OH, South Florida
Raegan Richardson, So., S, South Florida
Avery Burks, Jr., OH, Tulane
Jill Hanson, Fr., MB, Tulsa
Brayden Hipp, Sr., S, Tulsa
Brooklyn Leggett, R-Sr., RS, Wichita State
Second Team All-Conference
Olivia Hart, So., OH, Florida Atlantic
Loredana Fouonji, Jr., MB, North Texas
Gaby Mansfield, Sr., L, Rice
Lademi Ogunlana, Sr., MB, Rice
Arissa Smith, Jr., OH, Rice
Laila Ivey, Jr., OH, South Florida
Christiana Greene, So., OH, Temple
Sydney Dunning, Jr., OH, Wichita State
All-Freshman Team
Emsley Venard, S, Florida Atlantic
Zaniah Hoskins, OH, Memphis
Dakota Mitchell, L, North Texas
Aaliyah Smith, OH, Rice*
Giada Obregon, DS, UTSA
Jill Hanson, MB, Tulsa*
Maegan Mills, OH, Tulsa
*denotes unanimous selection