NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State libero Nicole Rodriguez earned second-team All-MEAC honors and setter Caris Cross was voted to the MEAC's All-Rookie Team as the conference released its postseason volleyball honors on Tuesday.

Rodriguez has been a force for the Spartan defense all year long. She enters the MEAC Tournament ranked second in the conference in digs per set in all matches (5.0). She stepped up her play in conference-only matches, with an average of 5.17 digs per set which led all MEAC players. She recorded at least 20 digs in nearly half of NSU's matches (12 of 25) with a career high of 29 in a four-set match with North Carolina Central earlier this month. The 29 digs are tied for fifth-most in a match in school history.

Rodriguez, a two-time MEAC Defensive Player of the Week honoree this year, is the first Spartan to earn All-MEAC first or second-team honors since Jessica Johnson was a second-team selection in 2016.

Cross made a splash in her first season with the Spartans. She is averaging 8.32 assists per set, second-best in the MEAC, entering postseason play. Cross earned MEAC Rookie of the Week accolades three times this year and Setter of the Week twice. She had a season-high 52 assists in a five-set win over Radford during non-conference play and hit the 40-assist mark in four other matches. She also has 33 total blocks and 133 digs this year.

This marks the second straight year NSU had a player earn a spot on the All-Rookie Team, after current Spartan Paola Matos achieved the feat last year.

The Spartans (8-17 overall, 4-10 MEAC) will enter this week's MEAC Tournament as the No. 6 seed and face No. 3 Coppin State on Friday night at 8 p.m. in Washington, D.C.