Greensboro, NC - The USA South Athletic Conference has announced its 2022 All-Conference awards for volleyball. Individually, the Southern Virginia duo of Courtney Pinkston and Emma Steiger were named Player of the Year and Libero of the Year, respectively, while Greensboro's Payton Shiflet earned Rookie of the Year honors and Salem's Barry Rymer collected Coach of the Year accolades. Additionally, the USA South recognized an All-Sportsmanship Team, consisting of one member from each competing school who their coach felt displayed the best sportsmanship this season. 

All awards are voted on by the volleyball coach at each institution.

Pinkston, a senior outside hitter from Gilbert, Arizona earns USA South Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, becoming the eighth player to earn that distinction. During the regular season, Pinkston led the League in total attacks (1,282), kills (460), kills per set (4.07), points (550.5), and points per set (4.9) while sitting second with 67 service aces. Against USA South opponents, Pinkston led the way with 272 kills, 4.39 kills per set, 49 service aces, 335.5 points, and 5.4 points per set. She collects First Team All-Conference accolades for the second consecutive season to go along with being named USA South Player of the Week four times during the fall.

Shiflet, a freshman outside hitter from Asheboro, North Carolina, becomes the eighth Greensboro student-athlete to be named USA South Rookie of the Year in the sport of volleyball, the first since 2012 (Olivia Gough). At the conclusion of the regular season, Shiflet led all rookies and was second in the League with a 3.88 kills and a 4.3 points per set average. Against League foes-only, Shiflet raised her game and again topped all rookies while finishing second in the Conference by averaging 4.00 kills and 4.4 points per set. For her efforts this season, Shiflet received First Team All-Conference honors while being named USA South Rookie of the Week three times.

Steiger, a senior libero from Waynesboro, Pennsylvania becomes the first Southern Virginia student-athlete to be named USA South Libero of the Year. Steiger led the Conference with 605 total digs, more than 150 more than the player sitting in second, a 5.35 digs per set average, and 66 service aces this regular season. Against Conference foes this fall, Steiger led the League in total digs (340) and digs per set (5.48). Finally, Steiger was selected as a First Team All-Conference honoree and named USA South Defensive Player of the Week four times.

Rymer, in his second year leading Salem, earns his first USA South Volleyball Coach of the Year honor and is the first Salem volleyball coach to earn the accolade. The Spirits are in the midst of the greatest one-year turnaround in USA South history. After a win in the first round of the USA South Tournament followed by a semifinal loss, Salem finished the season with a 21-10 overall record, which is 20 wins better than last year's 1-23 campaign. With a 12-6 League this season, after being picked to finish ninth by the coaches in their preseason poll, Salem earned the most USA South wins in program history. Additionally, it is the best one-year improvement in the Conference wins department in USA South history as Salem earned just one win last fall.

First Team All-Conference
Lauren Bissette, Meredith Hannah Collier, William Peace Shelby Cooper, William Peace Hailey Long, Meredith Courtney Pinkston, Southern Virginia Payton Shiflet, Greensboro Emma Steiger, Southern Virginia All-Sportsmanship Team Caelyn Murphy, Brevard Kantley McKown, Greensboro Leah Sherrill, Mary Baldwin Hannah Jo Jablonski, Meredith Alexis O'Neal, Methodist Amber Pierce, N.C. Wesleyan Kira Suttles, Pfeiffer Ashlyn Wood, Salem Jilane Pedersen, Southern Virginia Keslee Hylton, William Peace