Volleyball 11/10/2026 12:00:00 PM
FAIRMONT – The Mountain East Conference announced the 2026 Volleyball individual award winners and All-MEC teams Tuesday afternoon. The individual awards and All-MEC teams were determined by a vote of the league’s head coaches.
Fairmont State outside hitter/right side Josie Nobbe was named the 2026 MEC Player of the Year. Nobbe, a senior from Greensburg, Indiana, led Fairmont State with 286 kills, averaging 2.83 kills per set. She averaged 3.76 points per set in conference play, leading the Fighting Falcons and ranking third in the MEC.
Fairmont State’s Grace DeVall was named the 2026 MEC Libero of the Year. DeVall, a junior from Morgantown, West Virginia, recorded 594 digs, leading both Fairmont State and the MEC. She ranked fifth in NCAA Division II in total digs and 12th with an average of 5.45 digs per set. DeVall was named MEC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 14 after recording 101 digs in five matches, averaging 7.21 digs per set.
Fairmont State’s Kailyn Connelly was named the 2026 MEC Freshman of the Year. The middle blocker from Beaver, Pennsylvania, recorded 280 kills and posted a .323 hitting percentage, ranking fifth in the MEC. Connelly also led the Falcons with 88 total blocks and ranked seventh in blocks per set in conference play.
Fairmont State head coach Travis Hinkle was named the 2026 MEC Coach of the Year after leading the Fighting Falcons to the North Division regular-season title and the division’s No. 1 seed in this week’s MEC Tournament. Fairmont State will host the conference tournament after posting a 15-1 record in conference play and a .938 winning percentage.
Hinkle coached the 2026 MEC Player of the Year, Libero of the Year and Freshman of the Year, marking the first time since 2016 that one program has swept the conference’s three individual player awards. Under Hinkle’s leadership, the Fighting Falcons lead the MEC in points, hitting percentage, opponent hitting percentage, assists, kills and digs.
2026 All-MEC First Team
Pos. Name Class School
| L/DS | Grace DeVall | Jr. | Fairmont State |
| MB/RS | Kate Strong | Sr. | Charleston |
| S | Dakoda Keni | Sr. | West Liberty |
| OH/RS | Josie Nobbe | Sr. | Fairmont State |
| MB | Bhrooke Axe | Sr. | West Virginia Wesleyan |
| MB | Kate Wilking | Sr. | Wheeling |
| OH | Meg Williams | Sr. | Concord |
| RS/S | Camryn Matus | So. | Wheeling |
| MB | Kailyn Connelly | Fr. | Fairmont State |
| 2026 All-MEC Second Team |
| Pos. Name Class School |
| OH/DS | Sanaha Rajesh | Fr. | Charleston |
| OH | Gracie Brown | Fr. | Glenville State |
| L | Allie Davis | Sr. | Concord |
| OH/RS | Patrycja Majos | Sr. | Charleston |
| OH | Nicole Reasbeck | Sr. | Point Park |
| OH/DS | Amira DuPree | So. | West Liberty |
| OH | Carmen Perez | Sr. | West Virginia State |
| MB/DS | Emily Denison | Sr. | West Virginia Wesleyan |
2026 All-MEC Honorable Mention
MB: Jasmine Anderson (Concord), Addie Adkins (Concord), Marcelina Pyka (West Virginia State)
S: Jaylynn West (Shawnee State)
OH: Mackenna Halfin (West Virginia Wesleyan), Chloe Thompson (Concord)
OH/RS: Grace Yocham (Frostburg State)
RS/MB: Averi Martin (Fairmont State)
L: Mara McDougal (Wheeling), Miranda Ball (Frostburg State), Lily Adkins (West Virginia State)
| 2026 All-MEC Freshman Team |
| Pos. Name School |
| OH/DS | Sahana Rajesh | Charleston |
| RS/MB | Averi Martin | Fairmont State |
| MB | Kailyn Connelly | Fairmont State |
| OH | Gracie Brown | Glenville State |
| OH | Ava Green | Wheeling |
| L | Miranda Ball | Frostburg State |
| OPP | Maya Vilmar | West Virginia State |
2026 MEC Individual Awards
Coach of the Year: Travis Hinkle, Fairmont State
Player of the Year: Josie Nobbe, Fairmont State
Libero of the Year: Grace DeVall, Fairmont State
Freshman of the Year: Kailyn Connelly, Fairmont State
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