DOVER, Del. – Norfolk State freshman Gabrielle Gilbert is the first NSU volleyball player to have the honor of calling herself an All-MEAC First Team selection, and she only needed one year to achieve the feat.
 
Gilbert was named to the All-MEAC First Team on Thursday, as the conference unveiled its postseason honorees at the 2023 MEAC Volleyball Championship Banquet. She also received the MEAC Rookie of the Year award.
 
Middle blocker Grace Smith also received a postseason accolade, joining Gilbert on the MEAC All-Rookie Team.
 
Gilbert became the first player in Norfolk State volleyball history to earn the MEAC Rookie of the Year award, also becoming the first All-MEAC First Team selection in program history.
 
Gilbert and Smith also became the first Spartan tandem to be named to the MEAC All-Rookie Team in the same season.
 
An outside hitter from Indianapolis, Ind., Gilbert has taken the MEAC by storm in her first season of collegiate volleyball. She has earned six weekly conference accolades, taking the MEAC Rookie of the Week recognition on five occasions.
 
Gilbert's 3.54 kills per set ranks second in the MEAC, providing valuable versatility with 1.53 digs per set. She has recorded three double-doubles this season. Entering postseason play, Gilbert still has a chance to break the program record Jessica Johnson set in 2016 of 3.66 kills per set.
 
A Manassas, Va. product, Smith has established herself as a premiere net presence in her debut season, averaging 1.14 kills and 0.71 blocks per set.
 
Smith enjoyed a breakthrough performance at Coppin State, tallying nine kills and three blocks against the top team in the conference standings. She recorded three or more blocks on 11 occasions, recording a career-best of five at North Carolina Central.
 
Norfolk State gets its postseason play underway on Friday against Maryland Eastern Shore, the No. 4 seed, at 2:30 p.m.
 
For complete coverage of Norfolk State Athletics, please follow the Spartans on social media at @nsuspartans (Twitter), /NorfolkStateAthletics (Facebook), @NSUAthletics (Instagram), @nsuathletics (YouTube) or visit the official home of Norfolk State Athletics at nsuspartans.com.
 

MEAC Volleyball 
2023 Postseason All-MEAC Teams 
As voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors 
  
Player of the Year: Rya McKinnon, Howard 
Rookie of the Year: Gabrielle Gilbert, Norfolk State
Setter of the Year: Andrea Tsvetanova, Coppin State 
Defensive Player of the Year: Ashley Roman, Coppin State 
Coach of the Year: Tim Walsh, Coppin State 
 

ALL-MEAC FIRST TEAM 

Name	Class	Ht.	Pos.	School	Hometown
Ashley Roman	R-Sr.	5-5	L	Coppin State	Isabela, Puerto Rico
Andrea Tsvetanova	R-Sr.	5-9	S	Coppin State	Sofia, Bulgaria
Rya McKinnon	So.	5-11	OH	Howard	Hoover, Ala.
TaKenya Stafford	R-So.	5-11	OH	Coppin State	Los Angeles, CA
Gabrielle Gilbert	Fr.	6-0	OH	Norfolk State	Indianapolis, Ind.
Alondra Maldonado	Sr.	6-1	OH	Delaware State	Patillas, Puerto Rico
Kelsie Dawson	Jr.	6-1	MB	Delaware State	Nashville, Tenn.
Cimone Woodard	Jr.	6-3	MB	Howard	Missouri City, Texas
Geraldyn Palacios	Sr.	6-1	MB	Coppin State	Medellin, Colombia

ALL-MEAC SECOND TEAM 

Name	Class	Ht.	Pos.	School	Hometown
Kayla Diaz	Sr.	5-7	S	Howard	Rockland, NY
Emmie Modlin	So.	5-11	OH	N.C. Central	Pinehurst, NC
Laila Ibrahim	So.	6-1	OH	Coppin State	Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Loren Johnson	Jr.	5-6	LB	N.C. Central	Charlotte, NC
Ella Sanders	Fr.	5-10	OH	Delaware State	Albuquerque, NM
Claire Simpson	So.	5-6	LB	Howard	Plainfield, IL
Derionah Abner	Gr.	5-6	RS	Maryland Eastern Shore	Orlando, FL

 

MEAC ALL-ROOKIE TEAM 

Name	Class	Ht.	Pos.	School	Hometown
Gabrielle Gilbert	Fr.	6-0	OH	Norfolk State	Indianapolis, IN
Ella Sanders	Fr.	5-10	OH	Delaware State	Albuquerque, NM
Jada Williams	Fr.	6-2	MB	Morgan State	Fredericksburg, VA
Anisa Dorlouis	Fr.	5-8	S	Maryland Eastern Shore	Gainesville, Fla.
Coco Figueroa	Fr.	5-5	LB	Coppin State	Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Grace Smith	Fr.	6-1	MB	Norfolk State	Manassas, Va.