POPLARVILLE, Miss. — The Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference recently announced its All-Conference teams, and Pearl River volleyball received four selections.
Morgan Mears (Hurley; East Central) was named Honorable Mention. Claire Smith (Coldwater; Lewisburg) earned Second Team. Avery Wheat (Gonzales, La; East Ascension) and Lila Willett (Chelsea, Ala.) both grabbed First Team honors.
Mears makes the All-MACCC teams for the second season in a row after taking home First Team honors as a freshman. She finished the year third on the team with 257 kills and second on the team with 80 total blocks. Mears was great in the serving department, finishing with 51 service aces.
She finishes her Wildcat career with 527 kills, 174 total blocks, 206 digs and 77 service aces.
"Morgan embodied what it means to be a leader and a servant teammate," head coach Haley Chatham said. "Through injuries and personal trials, she carried herself with grace and strength, always focused on lifting others up. She anchored our defense at the net, took away opponents' options and scored big points when we needed them most. Morgan's impact on this program goes far beyond the stat sheet."
Smith had a historic freshman season for the Wildcats, finishing with 1,184 assists. Not only did she break the single-season record, but she also moved to the top of the leaderboard in career assists in just one season. Smith added 347 digs, 43 blocks, 49 service aces and 45 kills to go along with it.
"Claire settled into the college game with the confidence and poise of a veteran. She never needed the spotlight — she just went to work, making her hitters better and putting our team in position to win," Chatham said. "Finishing second in assists per set in the conference, she became the steady presence every team hopes for in a setter and a true student of the game."
Willett had a tendency to take over matches in her first season in the maroon and gold. Featuring in 135 sets, Willett racked up an incredible 500 kills — good enough for the second most in a single season in program history. Willett also chipped in with 113 digs, 24 blocks, and 13 assists. She had seven matches with 20 or more kills, including a season-high 27 in a match against East Central.
"Lila's maturity, focus and drive as a freshman were beyond her years," Chatham said. "Finishing second in the conference in kills and kills per set speaks volumes about her ability, but what stands out most is her relentless work ethic and composure. She's a fast, powerful hitter who plays with purpose and heart — and she's only getting started."
A true six-rotation player, Wheat was the backbone of PRCC's team as a sophomore. She finished the year with 513 kills — a mark which shattered the PRCC single-season record and the MACCC single-season record. She also excelled defensively with 406 digs and 51 blocks. Her 406 digs were the second most on the team. Additionally, Wheat tacked on 38 service aces and 23 assists. She had at least 10 kills in all but nine matches this season, including a season-high 25 in a match at Southwest.
Wheat finishes her career with 784 kills, which are the second most in a career in PRCC history. She also tallied 745 digs, 101 blocks, 58 service aces and 38 assists.
"Avery was the heartbeat of our offense and one of the most complete six-rotation players I've ever coached," Chatham said. "She led the conference in kills and kills per set, but her real strength was how she led — with love, grit and humility. Avery made everyone better because she played for something bigger than herself.
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