AIKEN, S.C. – University of South Carolina Aiken standout Ashley Diedrich has been named the Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year and tabbed a first-team all-conference selection while Glenn Cox was named Coach of the Year and Katie Toman picked up second-team all-conference accolades, as announced by the league office Friday.

Diedrich, a native of Orlando, Fla., is the third player in PBC history to repeat as the Player of the Year and the first since the 2005-06 seasons. The right-side hitter led the PBC in kills per set and was second in total kills. Diedrich was a three-time PBC Player of the Week this season and notched double-digit kills in all but four contests this season, including at least 20 on three occasions. Diedrich ranked among the league leaders in blocks and hitting percentage. She was previously the PBC co-Freshman of the Year in 2012 and is the fifth USC Aiken standout to be named PBC Player of the Year and the first to do so twice.

Toman, a native of Keenesburg, Colo., led the PBC in digs per set in league matches with 5.27 a frame. She posted 4.84 digs per set overall, which is the third highest in the league. Toman established a barrage of top-10 performances and school records during her junior campaign. She turned in a school-record setting 45-dig performance in the victory over Montevallo while also picking up a school record for digs in a four-set match with 38 in the PBC Quarterfinal win over Georgia College. Her 499 digs are the fifth most in school history for a single season. Toman had 12 20-plus dig performances and 20 double-digit dig matches on the season.

Under Cox's direction, he guided the Pacers to the program's first regular-season title since the 2007 season. The squad finished the regular season with a 25-4 overall record, including a 14-4 mark against league foes. The 8-0 start to the season was the best in the program's Division II history. The 15-match winning streak during the season was also the second longest in the program's Division II history.








All-Conference Team


First Team
Tarryn Angermeier, Lander
Kristy Bohan, Montevallo
Sara Davis, Flagler
Ashley Diedrich, USC Aiken
Anna McGee, Armstrong State
Rebekah Phelps, Montevallo
Emily Wylie, Armstrong State

Second Team
Caroline Boone, Francis Marion
Megan Hooks, Flagler
Briana Marquez, Montevallo
Alexzandra Reed, Francis Marion
Tara Savisky, Flagler
Katie Toman, USC Aiken
Rachel Windle, Augusta University

Elite 15 Award Presented by GradesFirst
Rebekah Phelps, Montevallo

Co-Setters of the Year
Briana Marquez, Montevallo
Tara Savisky, Flagler

Libero/Defensive Specialist of the Year
Julia Ferreira-Alves, Lander

Co-Freshmen of the Year
Tara Savisky, Flagler
Taylor Svehla, Georgia College

Player of the Year
Ashley Diedrich, USC Aiken

Coach of the Year
Glenn Cox, USC Aiken