Alvarenga, Jezyk And Ramirez Honored As Volleyball All-Americans

MEDIA, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine received three volleyball all-American awards from the United States Collegiate Athletic Association as Suzie Alvarenga (Fullerton, Calif./Notre Dame Academy) and Laura Jezyk (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) were second team selections and Anna Ramirez (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) garnered honorable mention accolades.

Alvarenga set a single-season Brandywine record and ranked seventh in the USCAA with 421 digs in 23 matches this fall. She averaged 5.69 digs per set, good for third nationally in that category.

Alvarenga reached 30 digs in a match three times as the team's starting libero, including a season-high 33 against Penn State Hazleton in the PSUAC Tournament quarterfinals. A First Team All-PSUAC selection, Alvarenga tallied at least nine digs in each match.

Alvarenga also produced 43 assists and 34 service aces, good for fourth on the team.

Jezyk, who was also a first team all-conference honoree and league setter of the year, played every set during Brandywine's 23 matches.

Jezyk tallied 567 assists, averaging nearly eight assists per set, while adding 191 digs, 54 aces and 32 kills. She ranked fourth in the USCAA in assists and stood second on the team in aces.

Six times Jezyk amassed greater than 30 assists with her season-high of 36 helpers coming in four sets against Penn State York on Oct. 5. She set a career high with 16 digs and recorded 23 assists in a conference tournament victory over Penn State Hazleton three weeks later.

Ramirez was one of just nine USCAA players to record over 200 kills and 200 digs this fall. She paced Brandywine and stood 16th in the USCAA with 216 kills, while adding 219 digs. Ramirez also produced 34 service aces.

Ramirez posted double figures in both kills and digs during the same match six times this fall. She set a season high with 17 kills against St. Mary's in September and tallied a season-best 18 digs in matches versus Penn State Schuylkill and Penn State Hazleton.

Brandywine closed out the 2022 season with a record of 13-10 and reached the conference tournament semifinals for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons.