Helgeson headlines SCIAC awards as Newcomer of the Year
ORANGE, Calif. – Three members of the Chapman University volleyball team earned All-SCIAC honors earlier this morning. Freshman Cat Helgeson headlined the awards, earning SCIAC Newcomer of the Year after a stellar rookie season.
Helgeson was also named to the All-SCIAC Second Team. Sophomores Jessi Lumsden and Sophie Srivastava, who are no strangers to the All-SCIAC First Team, each earned the honor for the second consecutive year.
Helgeson has appeared in every single set the Panthers have played this season. As Chapman's starting libero/defensive specialist, she led the squad and ranked second in the conference with 355 digs against SCIAC opponents. The Walnut Creek native led the conference with 6.34 digs per set as the Panthers posted a 14-2 conference record. In her debut season, Helgeson tallied double-digit digs in 11 of 16 matches against SCIAC opponents, including a career-high 31 digs in a 3-1 victory over Whittier.
Lumsden landed First Team honors for the second year in a row after a monster season at the net. The captain sat atop the SCIAC leaderboard with 4.11 kills per set and 230 kills against conference opponents. Her .276 hitting percentage in conference matches led the Panthers and ranked fifth in the SCIAC. The Carlsbad native also tallied 3.09 digs per set and 18 total blocks.
Srivastava, one of the best in the nation as a dual right side hitter and setter, earned First Team honors for the second consecutive season. The captain tallied 11 triple-doubles in the regular season, eight of them coming against SCIAC opponents. Srivastava put up huge numbers all over the court, tallying 2.54 kills per set and 3.59 digs per set. Her 6.02 assists per set against SCIAC opponents ranked sixth in the conference. The Belmont native was also a nuisance on defense at the net, recording 49 total blocks against SCIAC teams.
The Panthers notched the second seed in the up-coming SCIAC Postseason Tournament and will host No. 3 Cal Lutheran in the semifinal match on Thursday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m.
by Katie Bell
Sports Information Assistant
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