December 2, 2015

Borch and Locke named D2CCA All-Southeast Region honorees

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Junior middle blocker Maddie Borch (Walnut Creek, Calif.) and senior outside hitter Molly Locke (College Grove, Tenn.) picked up All-Southeast region honors from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) released Wednesday afternoon. The duo were both tabbed to the second team.

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Junior middle blocker Maddie Borch (Walnut Creek, Calif.) and senior outside hitter Molly Locke (College Grove, Tenn.) picked up All-Southeast region honors from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) released Wednesday afternoon. The duo were both tabbed to the second team.

Carson-Newman has now had 12 players named to All-Southeast Region teams since 2004. Under coach Dan Ahiers, the Eagles have now had five different players pick up All-Southeast Region honors in the last two seasons.

Teams are comprised of student-athletes from the three conferences in the Southeast Region, the South Atlantic Conference, Conference Carolinas and the Peach Belt Conference. 11 different schools in the region picked up at least one representative as teams are voted on by the College Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA).

"It's something we didn't really think about," Locke said. "We didn't really expect. I personally have never made it this far in a season. I was really surprised. I was really excited. I was excited for Maddie as well. She's worked really, really hard. Our team has worked really hard to get us to where we are today. All of the glory goes to our team."

Locke is the lone three-time SAC Player of the Week this season ranking second in the league in total points and total kills with 452.5 and 396 respectively. The Mercer transfer has made the most of her lone season at Carson-Newman with a team-leading 15 double-doubles, 24 matches with at least 10 kills and 17 contests with at least 10 digs. Locke has failed to crest double-digits in kills just two times in her last 21 matches tallying nine and eight in those outings.

In her Carson-Newman debut, Molly Locke racked up 27 kills and 20 digs against Quincy. The College Grove, Tenn. native became the first Carson-Newman player and fourth in the program's history to record a match with 20 kills and 20 digs since assistant coach Rachel Harper had 22 kills and 25 digs in a five-set match against Newberry on Oct. 19th, 2012. She also became the first player with 25 or more kills since Carly Mozgai had 29 at Catawba on Nov. 12th, 2010.

Locke tallied 25 kills and 27 digs in the SAC Quarterfinals against Anderson on Nov. 20th. The senior is the first Carson-Newman player to ever record a pair of matches with 20 kills and 20 digs twice in the same season.

Borch became the first player in Carson-Newman history to have the highest attack percentage in the conference finishing the regular season with a .351 percentage. She is .027 percentage points clear of Wingate's Abby Saehler. The percentage is currently the second-highest mark in single season by Carson-Newman player behind 2014 All-American and assistant coach Jenna Wilson's .387 mark. It ranks 30th in the country. The SAC Player of the Week on Oct. 27th has led the team in blocks 14 times and has had a team-high in kills on eight occasions. In the regular season finale against Mars Hill, Borch tallied a career-high 22 kills on a .410 attack percentage. The Walnut Creek, Calif. native was named to the SAC All-Tournament team totaling 32 kills and nine total blocks in two matches.

Carson-Newman gears up for the opening round of Southeast Region play in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 4 seed takes on fifth-seeded Armstrong State Friday at 5 p.m.