As has become a summer tradition, appstatesports.com is counting down Appalachian State University athletics' 30 most memorable games, matches and meets from the 2015-16 academic year. This year's countdown begins on Tuesday, July 5 and will continue until Tuesday, August 2.
Be sure to check appstatesports.com each day to relive all of the Mountaineers' most lasting memories of an exciting and successful 2015-16.
Keller Named Offensive Student-Athlete of the Year
November 19, 2015
STATESBORO, Ga. – In a year that Appalachian State University volleyball won 20 games overall and finished second in the Sun Belt Conference with a 13-3 mark, four Mountaineers earned all-conference honors, including Jess Keller being named the Offensive Student-Athlete of the Year.
“I'm proud of Paige, Emily, Jess and Ashton. All four deserve being on the all-conference team based on their performances this year and I'm extremely happy for them,” said head coach Matt Ginipro. “Jess definitely put up the numbers to be Offensive Student-Athlete of the Year and I'm glad she was able to end her career with that award.”
Keller finished the season with 441 kills and averaged 4.45 kills per set - both career highs and both led the conference this season. Keller finished two matches this season with a career-high 25 kills and remains just 15 kills away from cracking the program's top 10 list for kills in a career. The senior outside hitter was named first-team all-conference.
Teammate and fellow outside hitter Emily Corrigan also received first-team all-conference recognition after another stellar season for the Black and Gold. Corrigan finished the season with 362 kills and averged 3.66 kills per set - both numbers were good for second in the Sun Belt behind Keller.
For her career, Corrigan entered the 2015 season with 988 career kills and now ranks sixth all time with 1,350.
Junior transfer Ashton Gregory was the third Mountaineer to be named to the all-conference first team after a standout first season under head coach Matt Ginipro. Gregory leads the Mountaineers with a .347 hitting percentage and ranks third in the Sun Belt in that category. Gregory is also seventh in the conference in kills per set (3.17).
One of the best careers from anyone wearing the Black and Gold continues with setter Paige Brown. Brown entered the 2015 season with 3,143 career assists and has been on pace to break the all-time record. This season, Brown has amassed 1,178 assists and averaged 11.9 assists per set - both of which are the best in the conference.
Brown, a second-team selection and seven-time winner of the Sun Belt's Setter of the Week, now ranks second all time in career assists with 4,321 and remains just 87 assists away from breaking the all-time program record held by Amber Mangrum (2001-04) who totaled 4,408 career helpers.
The Mountaineers will begin their quest for a Sun Belt championship tomorrow at noon against Troy. The entire Sun Belt tournament will be delivered on ESPN3, while live stats of the action can be found at appstatesports.com.
Appalachian State Athletics' Most Memorable Moments of 2015-16
No. 30: Women's Tennis 4, Georgia Southern 2 (April 20, 2016)
No. 29: App State Knocks Off No. 24 Duke (December 15, 2015)
No. 28: Another 8-7 Walkoff Win Clinches Series Victory (April 4, 2016)
No. 27: Apps Catch Fire in Resilient Win (January 28, 2016)
No. 26: Mountaineers Receive Votes for AP Top 25 (October 15, 2015)
No. 25: Men's Tennis Ousts Troy, Advances to SBC Semis (April 22, 2016)
No. 24: Apps Down GSU with Clutch Plays in Late Moments (Feb. 27, 2016)
No. 23: Frank Eaves Nets 1,000 Career points in 76-67 Win over GSU (Jan. 21, 2015)
No. 22: Jalin Moore Breaks Freshman Rushing Record in 47-20 Win (Nov. 14, 2015)
No. 21: Van Ord Leads App State with 10,000-Meter Win - Sun Belt Champ (May 13, 2016)
No. 20: Broaden Claims Sun Belt Title in 400-Meter Hurdles - Sun Belt Champ (May 13, 2016)
No. 19: Moriarty Cards Career-Low 65; Ties Program Record (March 7, 2016)
No. 18: Pepper Butler Graduates During Special Ceremony (March 19, 2016)
No. 17: Mountaineers Down NJIT, Advance to SBC Semifinal (Nov. 12, 2015)
No. 16: Women's Golf Wins Mimosa Hills Intercollegiate (April 4, 2016)
No. 15: Men's and Women's XC Take Home Second at SBC Championships (November 1, 2015)
No. 14: Dawson Secures First Win as Head Coach (August 30, 2015)
No. 13: Mountaineers Walk Past No. 23 South Alabama, 4-3 (April 15, 2016)
No. 12: Apps Down Little Rock, Advance to Semi-Final Match (November 4, 2015)
No. 11: Denzel Dejournette Wins SoCon Wrestler of the Year (March 2, 2016)
No. 10: Keller Named Offensive Student-Athlete of the Year (November 19, 2015)
