Kieckhaefer Named Preseason All-SEC Selection

OXFORD, Miss. Senior setter Rachel Kieckhaefer was named to the inaugural preseason All-SEC team by the league’s coaches the conference office announced on Thursday.

The team consists of nine players as ties in the voting were not broken. Kieckhaefer was the only setter in the league selected to the team.

Also selected to the team were: Kelsey Bowers (MB, Florida); Elyse Cusak (L, Florida); Maria Taylor (OH, Georgia); Queen Nzenwa (OH, Kentucky); Lauren DeGiralomo (MB, LSU); Elena Martinez (L, LSU); Kyna Washington (OH, LSU) and Nikki Fowler (MB, Tennessee).

"I'm very excited for Rachel," said Ole Miss head coach Joe Getzin. "For her to be recognized at this point of the season shows the kind of impact she has had on our program. We're excited to have her lead our team as she is going into her senior campaign."

Keickhaefer is coming off a junior year that saw her earn All-SEC second team honors as she helped lead the Rebels to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season. She led the Rebels in assists with 1,292 a year ago and was an all-around force for the Rebels as she recorded four triple-doubles.

Her first triple-double came against No. 20 Missouri in the season opener as Kieckhaefer helped lead the Rebels to a 3-2 win at the Magnolia Invitational. She also notched triple doubles in both matches against Alabama, leading the Rebels to a season sweep of the Crimson Tide, and in a win over Memphis.

Kieckhaefer also recorded 22 double-doubles on the season as she helped pace Ole Miss in the record-setting season. The Rebels posted a 25-8 record and finished third in the SEC overall standings with a 14-6 mark in conference play. The 14 SEC wins is the most ever by an Ole Miss team and the third place finish was the highest since the 1982 season.

The Rebels begin the quest for a third-straight NCAA Tournament berth when they travel to Milwaukee, Wisc., to open the season at the Panther Invitational next weekend. Ole Miss will face-off against UW-Milwaukee at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, August 29.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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