CHARLOTTE, N.C. (ACC/SMU) - SMU Volleyball setter Averi Carlson was named the 2025 Atlantic Coast Conference Setter of Year, while four others joined her by earning All-ACC honors, the league announced on Monday.
After being named to the All-ACC Preseason Team, Senior setter Averi Carlson is the program's first ACC position player of the year and is the eighth SMU Volleyball athlete to earn a conference position player of the year award.
Carlson and Malaya Jones were selected to the 15-player All-ACC First Team, while middle blocker Favor Anyanwu and outside hitter Jadyn Livings both earned All-ACC Second Team honors. Kennedi Rogers became the fifth Mustang to earn conference All-Freshman team honors.
All-ACC First Team Honorees
Averi Carlson, Sr., Setter, Lucas, Texas
-Carlson leads the ACC and is second in the country in assists per set at 11.22.
-She has posted 1,268 assists this season, ranking first in the ACC and eighth in the nation.
-The senior setter has earned seven ACC Setter of the Week honors, a league record for a single-season.
-She notched a career-high 62 assists in the five-set win at NC State to close the regular season on Nov. 29. Her 16 digs at No. 4 Louisville on Oct. 17 tied a career-high for the senior.
-She sits second on the team in digs with 243, averaging 2.15 per set, and has 10 double-doubles this season. She notched a career-high 10 blocks in the three-set victory over Northern Iowa on Sept. 9.
-Carlson is the catalyst of a Mustang offense that ranks fifth in the country in hitting percentage at a .309 clip.
-Had nine matches this season with 50 or more assists, 16 with 40 or more.
-Surpassed the 4,000-career assist mark against Clemson on Oct. 5 and the 100-career ace mark at Notre Dame on Oct. 19.
Malaya Jones, Gr., Opposite, El Dorado, Hills, Calif.
-Jones leads the team averaging 4.24 kills per set and 4.82 points per set, both top 40 in the country.
-Has been named ACC Offensive Player of the Week three times this season, along with AVCA National Player of the Week after the opening weekend in Baton Rouge.
-Her 479 kills are the most in a single season in rally scoring era at SMU.
-She is hitting at a .375 clip as an opposite, among the best at her position in the nation. Has also added 229 digs, 2.03 per set this season. Jones tied her career-high with 18 digs at No. 21 North Carolina on Oct. 31.
-Jones has logged double-digit kills in 25 matches this season and has nine outings with 20 or more kills.
-She surpassed the 1,500-career kill mark in the four-set win at No. 14 Miami. Had 27 kill matches against No. 21 North Carolina and NC State this season, tied for the most in the rally scoring era at SMU.
-Was named to the AVCA Preseason National Player of the Year Watch List in August as well as the Preseason All-ACC Team.
All-ACC Second Team Honorees
Jadyn Livings, So., Outside/Opposite Hitter, The Colony, Texas
-Despite missing eight matches due to injury, Livings has been pivotal for the Mustangs in all phases this season.
-She averages 3.57 kills per set and 3.90 points per set, both second on the team. Livings also adds 1.93 digs per set with 158 on the season.
-She surpassed the 500-career kill mark in the win NC State to close out the regular season.
-Livings has six double-doubles this season, two in the final two matches of the regular season. She has reached 20 or more kills three times this season.
-She was added to the AVCA National Player of the Year Watch List midseason.
-Earned ACC Offensive Player of the Week after leading the Mustangs with 3.55 kills per set on the week while hitting an efficient .421 in the wins over Washington, Stony Brook and Northern Iowa.
-The sophomore outside hitter had a career-best 26 kills at No. 3 Kentucky on Sept. 13. She tied her career-high in digs with 12 versus No. 20 Baylor on Aug. 30.
Favor Anyanwu, So., Middle Blocker, Rowlett, Texas
-Anyanwu leads the team with 1.43 blocks per set, which ranks 5th in the ACC and 21st in the country.
-Anyanwu enters the postseason tied for fourth all-time for blocks in a season at SMU with 162. Her 162 blocks are first in the ACC and eighth in the country.
-She has had five or more blocks in 15 matches this season, including a career-high 11 against Northern Iowa on Sept. 5
-Offensively, Anyanwu has 185 kills on the season, hitting .396, second best on the team.
-The sophomore had a career-best 12 kills versus Stony Brook on Sept. 6 this season.
-Anyanwu was a Preseason All-ACC Team selection and was added to AVCA National Player of the Year Watch List midyear.
All-ACC Freshman Team Honoree
Kennedi Rogers, Fr., Outside Hitter, Missouri City, Texas
-Rogers has been a key part of a deep outside hitter rotation for the No. 7 Mustangs, averaging 2.59 kills per set in her first season as a Mustang.
-The freshman is hitting .274 on the year and has 145 total kills, fourth most on the team.
-She has five matches with 10 or more kills this season, two in the final two outings of the regular season.
-Stepped up for 10 kills and 10 digs in the Mustangs' road win at No. 4 Louisville, the first of her two double-doubles this season.
-Notched a career-high 21 kills in a five-set victory on the road against NC State on Nov. 29.
-Logged 19 kills on a .381 hitting percentage in the win over Florida State on Nov. 26.
-Earned ACC Freshman of the Week honors after averaging 4.44 kills per set on a .316 hitting percentage against NC State and Florida State in the final week of the regular season.
2025 ACC Postseason Awards
Player of the Year: Olivia Babcock, Pitt
Defensive Player of the Year: Bre Kelley, Pitt
Setter of the Year: Averi Carlson, SMU
Freshman of the Year: Kalyssa Blackshear, Louisville
Coach of the Year: Kevin Hambly, Stanford
First Team (Alphabetical order by school) – ***There are 15 on the first team due to a tie in voting***
Nayelis Cabello, Louisville
Chloe Chicoine, Louisville
Cara Cresse, Louisville
Flormarie Heredia Colon, Miami
Ariana Rodriguez, Miami
Safi Hampton, North Carolina
Morgan Gaerte, Notre Dame
Olivia Babcock, Pitt
Bre Kelley, Pitt
Brooke Mosher, Pitt
Averi Carlson SMU
Malaya Jones, SMU
Lizzy Andrew, Stanford
Spencer Etzler, Stanford
Elia Rubin, Stanford
Second Team (alphabetical order by school)
Kyleene Filimaua, Florida State
Iane Henke, Florida State
Bianca Garibaldi, Georgia Tech
Kalyssa Blackshear, Louisville
Payton Petersen, Louisville
Maddy May, North Carolina
Chelsea Thorpe, North Carolina
Blaire Bayless, Pitt
Favor Anyanwu, SMU
Jadyn Livings, SMU
Julia Blyashov , Stanford
Jordyn Harvey, Stanford
Logan Parks, Stanford
Erika Sayer, Stanford
All-Freshman team (alphabetical order by school)
Anna Fiedorowicz, Georgia Tech
Mimi Mambu, Georgia Tech
Kalyssa Blackshear, Louisville
Marina Pezelj, Pitt
Kennedi Rogers, SMU
Spencer Etzler, Stanford
Logan Parks, Stanford
Erika Sayer, Stanford
Reagan Ennist, Virginia
