2025 AVCA All-Atlantic Region

Women's Volleyball Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Three Golden Knights Earn AVCA All-Atlantic Region Accolades

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) today released its 2025 Division II Women's Volleyball All-Region teams and award winners. Each of the eight regions have 14 All-Region team members and six honorable mention selections for each of the eight Division II regions.

Gannon had three players named to the AVCA All-Atlantic Region first team.  Each were earlier named to the D2CCA All-Atlantic Region team. Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey/Private Çankaya Doga Anatolian) is now a two-time AVCA All-Region selection while Lauren Atwell (Mars, Pa./Mars Area) and Sydney Wake (Massillon, Ohio/Jackson) were recognized for the first team.

East Stroudsburg's Anna Coulter was named the Atlantic Region Player of the Year while ESU's Patricia Melfy was voted the Coach of the Year. California (Pa.)'s Olivia Weisman was selected the Freshman of the Year.

Arslan earned AVCA Honorable Mention All-American honors as a freshman in 2022 after being named the Atlantic Region Freshman of the Year and a first team All-Region performer. She has enjoyed an outstanding season from her setter position.
The senior from Ankara, Turkey has 1,249 assists, the eighth-highest season total. In fact, she now owns three of the top nine season assists totals, in the process boosting her career total to 4,355 assists. That is good for second all-time. She leads the PSAC in assists per set (11.05), good for 13th in Division II.

Arslan also stands second on the team in service aces and third in digs with 275. She now has 1,117 career digs.

While Arslan is the distributor, Atwell is the force at the net and Wake has emerged as Gannon's top hitter. A 6-foot-3 middle blocker, Atwell leads the Golden Knights with 97 blocks, with team highs of 26 solo blocks and 71 block assists, while standing third in kills with 244. She ranks eighth in the PSAC in blocks per set. The junior also leads the team in hitting percentage at .323, good for fourth in the PSAC. She has moved up to fourth in career blocks with 357.

Wake entered her junior season with 82 career kills but the 5-foot-11 middle blocker has exploded for a team-high 310 kills and is second in hitting percentage at .291. She is also second in total blocks with 64 and fifth in digs with 114.

The trio of Golden Knights have led Gannon to the top seed in the upcoming NCAA Div. II Atlantic Region. Head coach Matt Darling's team comes in with a 24-7 record and will host the regional on Thursday, Dec. 4 to Saturday, Dec. 6. The Golden Knights play No. 8 seed Fayetteville State on Thursday.
 
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Players Mentioned

Bengisu Arslan

#10 Bengisu Arslan

S
5' 8"
Senior
Lauren Atwell

#1 Lauren Atwell

MB
6' 3"
Junior
Sydney Wake

#24 Sydney Wake

RS
5' 11"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Bengisu Arslan

#10 Bengisu Arslan

5' 8"
Senior
S
Lauren Atwell

#1 Lauren Atwell

6' 3"
Junior
MB
Sydney Wake

#24 Sydney Wake

5' 11"
Junior
RS