WINTHROP, Mass. – Sophomore outside hitter Claire Conners was named the 2021 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Rookie of the Year, announced Tuesday afternoon. The three-time GNAC Rookie of the Week selection highlighted four Sharks on the All-Conference squad.
Conners, ranked second amongst GNAC leaders this season in attack percentage, was the second Simmons student-athlete to receive Rookie of the Year accolades in as many years. Hitting .310 with a team-high 244 kills, she also represented the Sharks on the GNAC All-Rookie Team. Late in the year, Conners helped the Sharks to its first win over Johnson & Wales in seven years, registering 19 kills on 46 attempts with just three miscues for a .348 attack percentage.
Junior outside hitter Sydney Iannantuono earned All-GNAC second team honors after registering 10 double-doubles on the 26-match season. Iannantuno finished second on the Sharks with 236 kills in addition to also ranking 69th in the nation in aces per set (0.59), tallying 70 aces on the year as well as representing the GNAC on the All-Tournament Team.
Sophomore setter Kat Simeonidis joined Iannantuono on the All-GNAC Second Team as she paced the Shark offense with 713 assists. Additionally, Simeonidis ranked fifth in the country in service aces, leading the GNAC with 76 on the year.
Senior middle blocker Amanda Fortune rounded out the Sharks earning All-GNAC Third Team after leading the Sharks in total blocks with 48 – 40 assists and eight solo. Fellow senior Tabitha Miles was selected to the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team.
Additionally, Simmons earned the GNAC Sportsmanship Team award.