Tufts Volleyball Foursome Honored on 2011 NEWVA All-New England Teams

MEDFORD - Three of the seven players on the 2011 New England Women's Volleyball Association (NEWVA) All-New England Rookie Team are Tufts Jumbos. The organization announced it annual honors on Wednesday, which included Tufts junior setter Kendall Lord (LaJolla, CA) on the All-NEWVA First Team.

Already one of the top programs in New England, the future continues to look bright for Coach Cora Thompson's Tufts program. Jumbo first-years Kelly Brennan (Burr Ridge, IL), Hayley Hopper (Carlsbad, CA) and Isabel Kuhel (Brisbane, CA) were all named to the NEWVA All-Rookie Team.

All three were major contributors to Tufts' 26-6 season which culminated with an NCAA Tournament berth. Among New England Small College Athletic Conference statistical leaders, Kuhel finished first in blocks per set at 1.20 while also placing fifth with a .292 hitting percentage. She was named NESCAC Rookie of the Year and an All-Conference Second Team player. Brennan was eighth with 3.00 kills per set and also among the league's top 20 with a .214 hitting percentage. Hopper was seventh in NESCAC and led the Jumbos with 3.08 kills per set.

Lord, NESCAC's Co-Player of the Year, was one of seven players put on NEWVA's All-New England First Team. She was one of the best setters in the nation this fall, averaging a league-high 10.47 assists per set. She also led the team in service aces (0.41), was second in blocks (0.52), and was third in digs (3.14).

2011 NEWVA All-New England Teams

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