TROY, N.Y. – Three members of the Union College women's volleyball team were rewarded for excellent seasons on the court with All-Liberty League honors, the conference office announced on Tuesday. Sophomore Georgia Pool was named to the All-Conference second team, while classmate Shannon McGrath and first-year Maddie McCarron were tabbed as honorable mentions.
 
The trio of awards marks the first time since 2016 that the volleyball program has three All-Conference honorees in the same season. Pool and McCarron are recognized for the first time in their careers, while McGrath is the first Union player to be honored as both a first-year and sophomore since four-time All-Conference honoree Rachel Wyman '16 in 2012 and 2013.
 
Pool had an excellent season as the team's primary libero, ranking second in the Liberty League with a team-leading 408 digs, the most by a Union player since Brianne Hallock '18 in 2017. Her 4.64 digs per set also ranked second in the conference and sixth in Region III this year. She recorded at least 10 digs in 23-of-25 matches this season and had four matches of 20 or more, highlighted by a season-best 27 digs in a four-setter against Russell Sage College. The sophomore also led the team and ranked 10th in the Liberty League with 38 aces and also chipped in 68 assists to rank third on the squad. In two seasons, Pool has already amassed 718 digs and 78 aces to go with 134 assists.
 
McGrath had another solid season as the team's top threat at the net, putting down a team-leading 270 kills (3.00 kills per set) while also ranking second on the team in both service aces (36) and digs (260). She finished the season sixth in the Liberty League in kills per set and 10th in digs per set (2.89), and was one of three conference players to finish in the top-10 of both categories. She recorded a team-leading 12 double-doubles on the year, including a season-high 19 kills against William Smith College and a season-best 21 digs against Russell Sage. In her first two seasons in garnet, McGrath has put down 553 kills and 83 aces as well as 454 digs. 
 
McCarron stood tall at the net for Union as a first-year, leading the team with 88 blocks while ranking second on the squad with 193 kills on team-best .284 hitting. The middle blocker led all Liberty League players in blocks and finished third in Region III in blocks per set, while also ranking eighth nationally in blocking among first-year players. In addition to her block total, which is the most by a Union player since Lauren Woods '16 in 2015, she also ranked fifth in the conference in hitting percentage and her total points placed her 11th. She put down a season-best 13 kills on .765 hitting against VTSU Castleton in early September and posted a season-high seven blocks in four sets against SUNY Oneonta.
 
With all three All-Conference honorees slated to next season, head coach Annie DeLoid and the Garnet Chargers will look to improve on the team's 13-13 (2-6 Liberty League) record from this year.