BOSTON -- Junior libero Hannah Howard was named the America East Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in her career as four members of the UMBC Volleyball team earned All-Conference honors, the Conference announced on Wednesday,

Howard also became the first libero/defensive specialist to earn a spot on the All-Conference First Team since UMBC's own Loren Teter accomplished the feat in 2021. Teter was also the Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 to kick-off a run of five-straight UMBC liberos winning the honor (Teter 2021, Aysia Miller 2022 & 2024, Hannah Howard 2023 & 2025). 

The Inwood, West Virginia native was tops on the team and in the Conference in digs (387) and digs per set (4.35). She also won the America East Defensive Player of the Week a league-best seven times this season. 

Junior outside hitter Jalynn Brown joined Howard as an All-Conference First Team selection. Brown led the Retrievers in nearly all offensive categories wth 304 kills, 3.45 kills per set and 357.5 points. These were all also top four in the Conference in each category. 

Sophomore middle blocker Laura Fuehrer was voted to the All-Conference Second-Team, continuing a breakout season after only appearing in two matches in her rookie campaign. Fuehrer led the Dawgs and the Conference in blocks (107) and blocks per set (1.24), while also finishing sixth in the League in hitting percentage as she hit .331 en route to 149 kills.

Above Fuehrer, in fifth place, on the America East hitting percentage is Helen Frankovich (.336), who earned a spot on the All-Academic Team. The Falls Church, Virginia native has a 4.0 GPA while double-majoring in Statistics and Mathematics. 

The UMBC coaching staff of Kasey Crider, Jaime Kosiorek, Alexis Jordan and Luke O'Neill was voted as the America East Coaching Staff of the Year. It was the second time the staff was honored with the award (2023).

The top-seeded Retrievers will host fourth-seeded Binghamton on Friday at 4 p.m. in the America East Semifinals. The winner will face the winner of the 8 p.m. No.2 Bryant-No.3 UAlbany on Saturday at 4 p.m.

UMBC and Binghamton split their meetings during the season, with BU winning in four sets in New York on October 3, and the Retrievers then swept the Bearcats on October 26.

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