French Named AVCA Second Team All-American

Sophomore earns second straight All-American honor

11/28/2023 11:01:00 AM

AVCA Release

LEXINGTON, Ky. - A sensational sophomore season landed Taylor French (Romeoville, Ill.-Plainfield East) of the Illinois Wesleyan University women's volleyball team on the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America Second Team. It marks the second straight season she has garnered All-American status after being named to the third team in 2022.

Overall, French becomes the 17th selection in program history to pick up All-American honors, and the 16th under the reigns of Head Coach Kim Nelson-Brown. The Romeoville, Ill. native is the first Titan to earn the accolade in consecutive seasons since now-assistant coach Tyler Brown, earned first team honors in 2016, 2017, and 2018 after being cited on the All-American Honorable Mention squad as the AVCA Freshman of the Year in 2015. French joins Brown as the only Titans in the program's history to earn multiple All-American honors.

In her second season for the Green and White, French was named the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Offensive Player of the Year, along with earning First Team All-CCIW and AVCA First Team All-Region 8 honors. She was tabbed as the CCIW Hitter of the Week six times this season, including four straight weeks to close out the year, both of which are conference records in women's volleyball. Her eight career weekly honors ties Brown for the most in a career for the program.

On top of her conference awards, French was twice named the AVCA/GameChanger National Player of the Week. The sophomore earned the award back-to-back weeks, Oct. 31 and Nov. 7, marking the first time in AVCA history that a player has earned the national award in two straight weeks across all NCAA Divisions.

One of the nation's top offensive threats, French finished the regular season ranked among the top-five in kills (570), points (637.5), kills per set (4.79), and points per set (5.36). Her 570 kills mark the second-most in a season in IWU laurels, while her 5.36 kills per set is the second-best average in program history. French finished the season with an attack percentage of .226, along with leading the team with 425 digs and 48 aces. She also added 30 total blocks, composed of nine solo and 21 assisted rejections.

Appearing in all 30 matches for the Green and White, French finished with 20-or-more kills 14 times and recorded a double-double performance on 21 occasions. She posted single-game highs of 33.5 points (vs. Elmhurst - Oct. 17), 29 kills (vs. Augustana - Nov. 7), 26 digs (at North Park - Nov. 9), five aces (vs. Illinois College - Sept. 23), and four blocks (vs. Elmhurst - Oct. 17).

The sophomore helped lead the Titans to a record of 17-13 in the 2023 season, including a CCIW Tournament appearance, advancing to the semifinals.

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