Brenna Campbell and Erica Selfridge Named To American Volleyball Coaches Association’s Second Annual All-Region 2 Team (Posted 11/10/20)

Two of the major cogs in the recently crowned, District Nine Class-A Champion and Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Number 1 ranked Clarion Area Lady Cats, seniors Brenna Campbell and Erica Selfridge have earned a great honor from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), being named to their Second Annual All- Region 2 Team.

In announcing their All-Region Teams, on their website on Monday, November 9th, the AVCA said, “The AVCA is excited to announce the second annual AVCA High School All-Region Teams. A total of 10 regions represent our nation’s 50 states. The number of athletes on each All-Region team is determined by the number of Under Armour All-America nominations each region receives. The top 50% of nominated athletes, as selected by the AVCA High School Regional Committees, are named to their respective All-Region team. The All-Region teams also include the athletes that will be named to the Under Armour All-American First Team, Second Team, Third Team, and Honorable Mention All-American as well. The 2020 Under Armour All-America Teams will be announced on Wednesday, November 11th.” 

Region 2 consists of most of the Mid-Atlantic States – Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Delaware, along with Washington D.C. There are ten regions throughout the United States, covering from Main to Florida, to Alaska to Hawaii.

The 2020 All-Region 2 Team consists of seven players from Pennsylvania, three from Virginia, and one each from Maryland, New Jersey and Washington D.C.

The All-Region Teams are made up of schools from all size classifications. In Pennsylvania there are four classifications: A (smallest), AA, AAA and AAAA. Clarion is the only single-A Pennsylvania school represented. (We don’t have information on the classification breakdown of schools from the other states and D.C.) To gain perspective of just how elite Brenna and Erica’s new “fraternity” is, consider that there are only fourteen players from this vast area and only eight from the whole Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on the Region 2 Team.

Brenna, the shortest player on the Region 2 Squad, at 5’6”, was named as a setter and Erica who is tied at second shortest at 5’8”, was named as an outside hitter.

As of this writing, Brenna has 3,007 career assists. She has 588 assists, 61 points on serve and 89 digs so far this season and Erika currently has just under 1,000 career kills, standing at 988. So far this season, she has 175 kills, 139 digs and 60 points on serve.

Coach Shari Campbell explained the magnitude of this honor. “Being named to the AVCA All-Region Team is quite an honor. They look at stats in the region on Maxpreps to make these selections. The fact that they have been recognized in the Mid-Atlantic Region, that encompasses six states, is truly an incredible accomplishment for these seniors. Furthermore, as players at Clarion, which is Single-A, they are being recognized among players from much larger schools.”

Coach Campbell shared some insight on what the two Lady Cats bring to the table, “Both Erica and Brenna have an eye for the game that is unprecedented. They have such amazing ball control that keeps their overall error percentage incredibly low. The lowest I have ever coached in my 22 years at Clarion Area. In the sport of volleyball this is invaluable. So, while they are two of the smaller players on the list they make up for that tenfold.  

“Brenna is such a strong athlete and her foot speed is an asset.  She is able to create swings off of most passes or digs that come her way.  When you have the opportunity to watch her play, you are so impressed by the defense she plays.  As a setter, she is running such a sophisticated offense and her decision making is what set her apart.  

“Erica is extremely explosive. She has the #1 hitting percentage in the state of Pennsylvania. We all should take a moment to admire that. Her defensive game matches her offensive contributions. She just does what needs to be done to get that first ball to Brenna.  Whether she is hitting from the front row, back row or the service line, Erica is a force to be reckoned with.

“The two of them together are so fun to coach. I am sure their teammates would agree that they love playing with them.” 

Coach Campbell expects big things in the future for Brenna and Erica. “We will all want to watch to see what they do at the collegiate level!”

Joining Brenna and Erica on the Region 2 Team from Pennsylvania include: Cassidy Snider – outside hitter from Conneaut; Sydnee Ashbrook – middle blocker from North Star; Makayla Jackson – middle blocker from Plum; Sarah White –  setter/right side from Seneca Valley; Kacy Sekunda – setter/right side from State College; and Sophie Brenner – outside hitter from Unionville;

Region 2 Team members from the other states and D.C. include: Mary Grace Goyena – outside hitter from Mount de Sales Academy,  Catonsville Maryland; Lauren Wilcock – outside hitter from Mendham High School, Mendham New Jersey; Grace Frigaard – outside hitter from James Wood High School, Winchester Virginia;  Lainie Putt – right side from James Wood High School, Winchester VA; Jaydyn Clemmer – outside hitter from Rockbridge County High School, Lexington Virginia; and  Rachel Richardson  – from St. John’s College High School, Washington D.C.

(Thanks to Nate Girvan and Smith Photography for their images. Congratulations to Brenna, Erica and all the athletes named to the 2020 American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Region Teams!!!!)