Mack, Riccardi and Dzuranin earn All-Conference Honors
Hazleton, Pa. - Following a successful regular season run that saw the Nittany Lions make the 2022-23 PSUAC postseason, three players were named to the All-Conference squad this week.
Headlining the trio was freshman Sydney Mack (Baltimore, Md.) who was named 1st Team All-Conference in the PSUAC East Division as well as the Eastern Division Rookie of the Year. Mack ranked third in the East in hitting with 207 kills to her credit and was one of just four players in the PSUAC to average 3 or more kills per set. Mack hit a season high with 23 kills on two occasions this season, hitting the mark against Penn State Brandywine in late September, and again on October 12 in a win over Penn State Schuylkill. For the season Mack hit double figures in kills 10 times and while adding 23 assists, 96 digs, 36 service aces and 7.5 blocks in 2022-23.
Two other Nittany Lions were named Honorable Mention All-Conference in the PSUAC including freshman Mackenzie Riccardi (Mountain Lakes, Nj.) and sophomore Rebecca Dzuranin (McAdoo, Pa.). Riccardi was one of the top setters in the entire PSUAC, notching 536 assists in 22 matches this season. Riccardi had 20 or more assists in 16 games including a season high of 39 dimes in a win at Penn State Brandywine on September 29. Riccardi added 25 kills, 38 service aces and 111 digs to round out the stat line during her outstanding first year at Hazleton. Also earning her first selection to the All-Conference squad was Dzuranin who excelled in nearly every space on the floor for the young Nittany Lion squad. Dzuranin ranked third on the team in kills with 116 and second on the squad defensively with 205 digs to her credit but where the sophomore really stood out, was in the service category. Dzuranin led the PSUAC and the USCAA Division II field in aces with 81 serves for points and struck for five or more aces in nine matches this year including a season high 10 aces vs. Trinity Washington University in early September.