LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Dayton volleyball players Lexie Almodovar, Alyssa Miller and Liana Sarkissian, as well as head coach Tim Horsmon, were honored by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) on Tuesday. Almodovar, Miller and Sarkissian earned 2024 Division I All-Midwest Region first team honors, while Horsmon was named Region Coach of the Year.
 
This is the third AVCA Midwest All-Region Team selection for Almodovar, who was also named Atlantic 10 Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. The Noblesville, Ind. native led the Flyers to its first Sweet Sixteen this weekend, putting up a Dayton NCAA Tournament record 34 kills in a thrilling five-set victory over Baylor. She has averaged 5.02 kills/set for the season while hitting at a .308 efficiency and putting up 2.54 digs/set. Her kills/set mark ranks sixth in the NCAA and is the highest in program history, while she also became the first Flyer to eclipse 2,000 career kills. Almodovar is also a five-time A-10 All-Conference First Team member.
 
Miller has saved her best season for her final one, leading the A-10 in assists per set at 10.79 while also directing the conference's top offense in terms of points per set (18.42) and hitting efficiency (.301). The Overland Park, Kan. native, who was a first team All-Atlantic 10 honoree this season ago ranks 16th in the country in assists per set, 32nd in total assists, and her offense ranks sixth in the nation at .301.
 
Sarkissian earned a spot on the All-Region team after her breakout performance at middle blocker. The Greenwich, Conn. native's season attack percentage of .385 ranks 31st in the nation and her blocks per set mark of 1.10 is nearly .50 better than her average a season ago. Sarkissian set a new career-high in kills in the biggest match of the season, finishing the Flyers' match at Baylor with 17 kills while hitting .500. She was also the only Dayton player to earn both an A-10 Player of the Week and A-10 Defensive Player of the Week on the season.
 
Horsmon led Dayton to its first ever regional appearance in the NCAA Division I Championship and the Flyers' second consecutive 30-win season. He also surpassed the 400-win threshold as the Flyers' head coach this season, has an all-time record of 582-273 over 26 years. This was the second consecutive 18-0 Atlantic 10 record for UD, and marks the 15th time Horsmon has led Dayton to 20 or more wins in a season.
 
Almodovar, Miller and Sarkissian will now be eligible for selection to an AVCA first, second, or third team All-America Team roster. Those awards will be announced Wednesday, Dec. 18.
 
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