2020-21 MAAC Volleyball Major Awards and All-MAAC Team Announced
EDISON, N.J. (April. 8, 2021) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) has announced the 2020-21 Volleyball All-MAAC Team and Major Award winners. All awards were voted on by the league’s 10 head coaches.
The 2020-21 MAAC Volleyball Player of the Year is Morgan Romano of Rider University. Romano is the first sophomore to take home the Player of the Year since Siena’s Taylor Akana in 2011. The 2019 MAAC Volleyball Rookie of the Year, Romano finished the year with 3.93 kills per set and 157 total kills. Her support on offense helped power the Broncs to the 2020-21 MAAC Volleyball Championship. Romano is also one of two Broncs on the 2020-21 MAAC Volleyball All-MAAC Team, as she is joined by fellow teammate, Anilee Sher.
Co-Setter of the Year is Fairfield University’s Manuela Nicolini and Rider’s Anilee Sher. With her third Setter of the Year award in her last four seasons (2017, 2019), Nicolini continues to build a massive resume which began with a selection to the MAAC All-Rookie team in 2016. Since then, she has been named the 2018 MAAC Preseason Co-Player of the Year, the 2019 MAAC Player of the Year, the 2020-21 MAAC Preseason Player of the Year, and has received three All-MAAC selections (2017, 2019, 2020-21). Following in Nicolini’s footsteps, Sher was also named to the 2018 All-Rookie team in her first year and followed it up by being named to the 2019 All-MAAC First Team.
The 2020-21 MAAC Libero of the Year and 2020-21 MAAC Rookie of the Year is Niagara’s Amanda Darling. Darling had 154 digs this season over the course of seven games. She set her season-high on March 28, vs. Canisius with 37 digs. Darling was able to help the Purple Eagles to a 5-2 record this season and helped them reach the semifinals of the 2020-21 MAAC Volleyball Championship.
The 2020-21 MAAC Volleyball BSN Sports Coach of the Year is Jeff Rotondo. In just his second season with the Broncs, Rotondo led the program to their first-ever MAAC Championship appearance, won their first-ever MAAC Championship, and sent them to their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 1996.
For the full list of awards, including the All-MAAC Team, see below.
| 2020-21 MAAC Volleyball Major Awards |
| Award |
Player |
School |
| Player of the Year |
Morgan Romano |
Rider |
| Libero of the Year |
Amanda Darling |
Niagara |
| Co-Setter of the Year |
Anilee Sher |
Rider |
| Co-Setter of the Year |
Manuela Nicolini |
Fairfield |
| Rookie of the Year |
Amanda Darling |
Niagara |
| BSN Sports Coach of the Year |
Jeff Rotondo |
Rider |
| 2020-21 MAAC Volleyball All-MAAC Team |
| Player |
Class |
School |
Position |
| Ella Loussia |
So. |
Canisius |
Outside Hitter |
| Hannah Nelson |
Jr. |
Canisius |
Outside Hitter |
| Manuela Nicolini |
Gr. |
Fairfield |
Setter |
| Jaycie Roberts |
Sr. |
Niagara |
Outside Hitter |
| Maggie Baker |
Jr. |
Quinnipiac |
Outside Hitter |
| Morgan Romano |
So. |
Rider |
Opposite |
| Anilee Sher |
Jr. |
Rider |
Setter |
Keep up with all MAAC volleyball action by following @MAACSports on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and by searching #MAACVB. For championship information, visit
MAACSports.com/VB.
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) celebrates its 40
th year of competition during the 2020-21 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.