Volleyball wins ACCC Championship, heading to national tournament
Wallace State Community College Volleyball won their 14th conference title in 15 seasons and their 24th overall in a hard-fought battle against Enterprise State Community College at the Alabama Community College Conference/National Junior College Gulf South District Tournament over the weekend in Mobile.
The victory came down to a win in the if-game of the double-elimination tournament after the Boll Weevils gave the Lions their only defeat of the tournament during the first championship-round game. That game was a rematch after the Lions handed the Boll Weevils their first loss of the tournament on Saturday in a five-game set. But Enterprise State bounced back to meet the Lions once again in the championship round, winning that game 3-2 to force a third game between the teams during the tournament. That final match was another five-game set, with the Lions winning 3-2.
"I am very happy with my team because of how tough they are mentally and physically," WSCC Coach Randy Daniel said. "They never gave up and fought extremely hard to earn this championship. Enterprise is a very talented team and challenged us for three matches, but we were able to keep fighting and win."
The tournament win punches Wallace State's ticket to the National Junior College Athletic Association's Division II National Tournament Nov. 15-18 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Tournament seedings will be released on Thursday, Nov. 9. The Lions are ranked 16th nationally in the Division II rankings as of the week of Oct. 30.
Wallace State Volleyball's Braelee Quinn, left, Marley Wakefield, Coach Randy Daniel, Anna Clare Hutto and Lexi Weber were all recognized at the end of the Alabama Community College Conference/National Junior College Gulf South District Tournament. Hutto was named Conference and Gulf South District Tournament MPV. Quinn, Wakefield and Weber were named All-Tournament and Coach Daniel was named Gulf South District Coach of the Year.
After the win in Mobile, Daniel was named the Gulf South District Coach of the Year. Sophomore Anna Clare Hutto of Lawrence County was named both the ACCC and Gulf South District Tournament Most Valuable Player, adding to hardware she received at the beginning of the tournament as both the ACCC Player of the Year and North Division Player of the Year. She was also named to the ACCC All-Region and All-North First Teams
Fellow sophomores Braelee Quinn of West Point, Lexi Weber of Alexandria and Marley Wakefield of Corner all were named All-Tournament award winners. Quinn, sophomore Makayla Lindsey of Winston County and freshman Choe Jackson of Athens were named to the ACCC All-North Second Team.
"Our sophomores are amazing leaders on and off the court and credit goes to them for leading us," Daniel added. "This team is the hardest working, most disciplined team I've coached. I truly love every minute of being around them because of their dedication to our program. We are not done yet, hopefully we can challenge for a National Championship in Cedar Rapids."
Wallace State sophomore Anna Clare Hutto was named both the ACCC Player of the Year and North Division Player of the Year in post-season awards presented by the Alabama Community College Conference.
Wallace State Volleyball Coach Randy Daniel was named the NJCAA Gulf South District Coach of the Year for 2023.