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Dvoracek named AVCA Third Team All-American

Posted at 6:05 PM, Dec 18, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-18 21:45:30-05

Having already collected First Team All-Big West and AVCA Pacific North All-Region honors, junior Cal Poly volleyball outside hitter Maia Dvoracek has now added AVCA Third Team All-American honors to her resume.

The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced the awards Wednesday. Dvoracek becomes the first Mustang since Jennifer Keddy in 2010 and just the seventh all-time to be named to one of the All-American teams.

“Maia is the epitome of what Cal Poly Volleyball is,” head coach Caroline Walters said of Dvoracek. “We put our heads down and work and we wait our turn humbly learning lessons along the way.”

This is the third consecutive year Cal Poly has had at least one player earn All-American honors. In 2018, Torrey and Adlee Van Winden were both named Honorable Mention All-Americans. In 2017, the Van Windens, along with Taylor Nelson were named Honorable Mention All-Americans.

“She has set the foundation for future Mustangs and potentially all future Big West volleyball players by paying her dues and reaping the rewards graciously.”

Dvoracek played in every set and started all 30 matches this season in her first season as a six-rotation player. She led the Mustangs and was second in the Big West in kills with 4.25 per set.

“This just means the world,” Dvoracek said of the honor. “I was recruited by one person and to have a group of people like (my coaches) that have believed in me whole-heartedly since I was young means a lot.”

She was also one of the best servers in the nation, leading the Big West with 64 aces, good for .58 per set. Her .58 aces per set average ranks top-five in the country and is the fourth-highest single season aces per set average in program history. In one match this season, she finished with eight service aces, tying the school record for most aces in a match.

Defensively, she finished the season averaging 2.21 digs per set and .46 blocks per set. She recorded double figure kills in 20 straight matches and had at least 20 kills in seven matches, including a career-high 30 in a five-set win over No. 16 Utah.

She also recorded seven double-doubles, including in Cal Poly's NCAA Tournament First Round win over Georgia. She was also named Big West Player of the Week five times, the most by a Mustang in a single season since Kylie Atherstone won six times in 2007. In conference matches, she led the Big West with 5.09 kills per set while hitting .320 and had double-digit kills in all 16 matches.

“Playing behind Torrey Van Winden for two years and having someone like her to be a mentor and someone I wanted to beat in practice every single day made me better and helped me learn and grow as a player.”

“The absolute best part of the past few days, aside from surprising Maia with a phone call yesterday, is that we get to do this for another 365 days and see all she can accomplish in her final season,” said Walters.

Dvoracek will be honored with her fellow All-Americans at the AVCA banquet in Pittsburgh, Pa. on Friday.

-Provided by Cal Poly