AUGUSTA, Ga. – Juniors Shannon Skryd and Brianna Warren both picked up all-conference laurels, senior Elly Hicks was named the league's Elite 16 Award honoree and Ellen McGill was crowned Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year with the release of the PBC Volleyball Spring 2021 All-Conference Team on Friday afternoon.
 
The announcement marked the first time that the Braves have sent multiple players to all-conference honors in 26 years (1995), while McGill became the first skipper to pick up conference coach of the year accolades in the 45-year history of the program. Hicks is also the program's first student-athlete to rake in Elite 16 recognition which is presented to the tournament participant with the highest cumulative grade point average. The recipient must also be classified as a junior or higher in the classroom.
 
Warren, the first first-team all-conference selection for the program since the 2007 campaign, led the league with 86 total blocks and 1.59 blocks per set across 11 matches, and also registered 118 kills (2.19/set) and 51 digs (0.94/set) as well. The Indian Trail native, who accumulated 33 more blocks than any other student-athlete in the league, turned in three or more total blocks in 13 outings, including a season-best 12 swats in the season-opening win over Georgia College. She logged 10 or more kills on three occasions, including a season-best 15 in a 5-set setback at Lander.
 
Skryd, a product of Naperville, Ill., started all 15 matches for the Black & Gold and hit .200 at the net with 119 kills (2.25/set), while also posting 157 digs (2.96/set), 28 blocks (0.53/set) and five service aces. She registered a trio of double-double outings, including a 15-kill, 13-dig performance in the season-opening triumph over Georgia College, and finished the spring season with five double-digit kill outings and eight double-digit dig performances.
 
Hicks, who maintains a 3.885 cumulative grade point average as an elementary education major at UNCP, played in 14 matches (three starts) for the Braves in the spring, and totaled 60 kills (1.18/set), 45 digs (0.88/set) and 25 blocks (0.49/set). The Trinity product matched a career-best with 12 kills in the 5-set loss at Georgia College, and turned in 11 digs in the 5-set heartbreaker at Lander. Hicks was forced to miss UNCP's PBC Tournament semifinal matchup at Flagler on Wednesday due to prior academic commitments.
 
McGill led the Braves to a multitude of program superlatives this season. The Braves finished the campaign with seven PBC victories, which matched the 2001 and 2011 squads for the most league wins in 27 years, while also leading UNCP to its first PBC Tournament semifinal appearance since 2011 as well. The Black & Gold ranked third among the PBC's eight volleyball-playing schools with a .172 hitting percentage – its best number in that column since the 2010 campaign.