Beach Volleyball All-Conference and Major Award Winners Announced

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Emmanuel's Izabela Zukawska has been named the 2025 South Atlantic Conference Carolinas Beach Volleyball Player of the Year, as announced by the league office on Thursday. Zukawska also earned Pair of the Year honors alongside partner Ellie Jackson. Wingate's Amelia Talbott was voted Freshman of the Year, while Carson-Newman head coach Cat Collins was named the Coach of the Year.

Zukawska, a junior from Olsztyn, Poland, dominated at the No. 1 flight throughout the season, finishing with a 9-1 conference record and a 21-8 overall mark. She played a pivotal role in leading Emmanuel's top pair and was a consistent force against high-level competition.

Talbott, a freshman standout for Wingate, played all 19 matches at the top pair for the first-year Bulldogs. She teamed with Lilou Thieme to post an 11-8 overall record, earning SAC Pair of the Week honors twice during the season. The freshman from Wingate was a model of consistency, reeling off an 11-match winning streak that included four wins over Catawba, as well as victories against Erskine, Barry, Liberty, and Lynchburg.

Zukawska and Jackson, the SAC Carolinas Pair of the Year, were dominant throughout the season at the No. 1 flight for Emmanuel. The duo finished 9-1 in conference play and 21-8 overall, anchoring the Lions in every dual. Their chemistry, consistency, and clutch performances against top opponents made them the league's most formidable pairing during the 2025 campaign.

Collins led Carson-Newman to one of the strongest seasons in the league, guiding the Eagles to multiple team victories and placing three pairs on the All-Conference teams. Under his leadership, the Eagles showed tremendous depth and development across all five courts, helping establish Carson-Newman as a top program in the conference's inaugural beach volleyball season.

The First Team All-Conference was headlined by Zukawska and Jackson and included several of the league's most successful pairings. Talbott and Thieme represented Wingate, Ille and Halcrow were a top duo for Carson-Newman, and standout teams from Tusculum and Erskine also earned spots on the top list.

2025 South Atlantic Conference Carolinas Beach Volleyball All-Conference

First Team All-Conference
Izabela Zukawska / Ellie Jackson – Emmanuel
Amelia Talbott / Lilou Thieme – Wingate
Jenny Ille / Paige Halcrow – Carson-Newman
Brynn Smith / Hannah Marsh – Tusculum
Abigail Platt / Paige Knotts – Erskine

Second Team All-Conference
Christina Knotts / Morgan Childress – Catawba
Ava Fountain / Emerson Ahsmuhs – Carson-Newman
Trinity Hafey / Kylee Oldenburger – Carson-Newman
MJ Cackett / Lillian Pragle – Erskine
Faith Kelly / Maisey Farrow – Emmanuel

Player of the Year
Izabela Zukawska – Emmanuel

Pair of the Year
Izabela Zukawska / Ellie Jackson – Emmanuel

Freshman of the Year
Amelia Talbott – Wingate

Coach of the Year
Cat Collins – Carson-Newman