Ebangwese, Saada Earn ACC Honors

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Junior middle blocker Santita Ebangwese of the Syracuse women's volleyball team was selected to the All-ACC First Team, the conference announced Monday. Freshman outside hitter Ella Saada was named to the ACC All-Freshmen Team.

Ebangwese is one of 14 members representing nine schools on the All-ACC First Team. The Rochester, N.Y. native joins Silvi Uattara, who is the only other student-athlete in program history to be selected to the All-ACC First Team. Uattara, a two-time recipient, received the accolade in 2013 and 2015.

Ebangwese led the ACC with a .386 hitting percentage during the regular season. She finished with a team-high 151 blocks and ranked second with 298 kills. Ebangwese played a major role in the Orange blocking game that ranked third in the ACC with 2.72 blocks per set. She started all 33 matches and is the only 'Cuse member to play in every set this season.

Saada is one of nine members representing seven schools on the league's All-Freshman Team. A native from Kfar Masaryk, Israel, Saada joins Ebangwese as the only other student-athlete in program history to receive the honor. Ebangwese was tabbed to the ACC All-Freshmen Team in 2015.

Saada led Syracuse with 34 service aces, ranked second on the team with 242 digs, and finished third with 213 kills during the regular season. She posted a season-high 16 kills twice, against Colgate and Georgia Tech. Saada appeared in all 33 matches for the Orange with 24 starts and ranked second on the team with 116 total sets played.

Syracuse finished the regular season with a 20-13 overall record and a 12-8 mark in ACC play. The Orange earned the ACC at-large bid into the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) and will face Albany in the first round on Thursday, Nov. 30 at 4:30 p.m.

All-ACC First Team
Olga Strantzali, Sr., OH, Miami
Nika Markovic, So., RS, Pittsburgh
Julia Brown, Sr., OH, NC State
Wilma Rivera, Jr., S, Louisville
Santita Ebangwese, Jr., MB, Syracuse
Melanie McHenry, So, OH, Louisville
Milica Kubura, Sr., RS, Florida State
Gabriela Stavnetchei, Sr., OH, Georgia Tech
Haley Templeton, Sr., S, Miami
Kamalani Akeo, Jr., S, Pittsburgh
Stephanie Williams, So., OH, Pittsburgh
Kylie Pickrell, Jr., S, NC State
Beth Nordhorn, Sr., MH, North Carolina
Ryann DeJarld, Jr., L, Notre Dame

ACC All-Freshmen Team
Taryn Knuth, MB, Florida State
Kayla Lund, OH, Pittsburgh
Chinaza Ndee, MH, Pittsburgh
Payton Schwantz, OH, Duke
Ella Saada, OH, Syracuse
Kaity Smith, OH, Virginia Tech
Melissa Evans, OPP, NC State
Summer Brown, MB, Duke
Sarah Billiard, OH, Virginia

For all of the latest information on Syracuse volleyball, follow us on Facebook (Syracuse Orange & Syracuse Volleyball), Twitter (@Cuse & @CuseVB), and Instagram (@cusepics & @cusevb).

Syracuse University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Santita Ebangwese

Ella Saada

Related Videos