Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Taylor Pippen and Andrea Estrada earn AVCA Regional recognition
12/08/2015 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
By Elizabeth Robinson
SIUSalukis.com
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Two Saluki volleyball players, senior Taylor Pippen and sophomore Andrea Estrada, have been recognized by the American Volleyball Coaches Association as All-Region players, the AVCA announced Tuesday. Pippen earned AVCA All-Region honors while Estrada was selected as an AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention.
Pippen and Estrada are only the third and fourth Salukis to earn AVCA recognition, following Pat Nicholson as an All-Region honoree in 1986 and more recently, Jessica Whitehead as an All-Region Honorable Mention selection in 2013.
In her final season in the Saluki uniform, Pippen has garnered several accolades, including MVC First Team All-Conference, MVC Scholar Athlete, State Farm MVC Good Neighbor Award, CoSIDA Academic All-District, and MVC Defensive Player of the Week twice.
This season Pippen led the Salukis and ranked third in the MVC and 35th in the NCAA for attack percentage at .386. She also led SIU in solo blocks with 15 and ranks third in the Valley for blocks per set with an average of 1.10. Throughout her career Pippen has secured several spots in SIU's record books, holding all-time records for career attack percentage at .345 and the all-time record for block assists with 426. She also holds top two spots in SIU Volleyball history for attack percentage in a single season at .410 in 2014 and .386 this season. Pippen is tied for fifth all-time for career matches played with 121 and ranks third all-time for career sets played with 452.
Estrada was known for her constant attacks and lethal kills this season, leading the Salukis in both categories with 1,139 attacks and 431 kills. Largely due to her powerful hits, Estrada averaged 3.96 points a set. The redshirt-sophomore was also a strong presence on the Salukis' defense this season with 379 digs, the second most for the team. Estrada accomplished kill-dig double-doubles in 19 matches this season. She ranks fifth all-time at SIU for career attempts per set with an average of 8.79 and ranks eighth for attempts in a season with 1,139 this year.
Following two years on the court for SIU, Estrada has earned MVC All Freshman recognition, MVC First Team All-Conference honors, MVC Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention and MVC Player of the Week.
Pippen is one of only 14 student athletes in the AVCA North Region to earn regional accolades, while Estrada is one of six to earn Honorable Mention in the region. All- Region athletes are voted on by volleyball coaches throughout the country that are part of the AVCA and are reviewed and named by AVCA Regional Committees.
