Volleyball Players Earn VaSID Honors

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January 22, 1999

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. –University of Virginia junior outside hitter Jessica Parsons (Green Oaks, Ill./Libertyville) was named the 1999 Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) Player of the Year. Parsons already ranks in numerous Virginia record categories after playing only three seasons.

She is second in kills in a season (492), third in total blocks in a career (336), third in block assists in a career (263), third in blocks per game in a career (1.11), fourth in career kills per game (3.04), fourth in attack attempts in a season (1120), fourth in attack percentage in a career (.270), fourth in block solos in a season (40), fifth in kills per game in a season average (3.84), sixth in block solos in a career (73), sixth (111) and seventh (110) in block assists in a season, sixth (1.19) and seventh (1.18) in blocks per game in a season, sixth (157) and eighth (133) in total blocks in a season, seventh in career kills (918), seventh in attack percentage in a season (.323) and ninth in attack attempts in a career (2261) at UVa.

In 1998, Parsons appeared in 34 matches and played in 128 games. She recorded 492 kills, 182 digs, 154 blocks, 23 service aces and 14 assists while posting double figure totals in kills in 25 of the 32 matches she appeared in. Parsons was named a First Team All-ACC selection and the ACC Co-Player of the Week (11/16). She also gathered All-Tournament team honors after being named the Most Valuable Player in both the Pepperdine Tournament and Jefferson Cup Tournament. Parsons helped guide Virginia to first place finishes in both tournaments after recording 52 kills, 16 digs, 15 blocks and five services aces in the Pepperdine Tournament and posting 56 kills, (including a season-high 27 kills in 3-1 win over Georgetown on 9/19) 17 blocks, 10 digs and three services aces in the Jefferson Cup Tournament.

UVa volleyball head coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton was named the the Coach of the Year by VaSID after she led the Cavaliers to one of Virginias finest volleyball seasons in the history of the program. Shelton guided Virginia to a record of 26-8 overall, 12-4 in the ACC, and took the Cavaliers to their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division I Womens Volleyball Championship. UVas 26 wins last season made the 98 Cavaliers the winningest volleyball team in the 1990s at Virginia. The 26 victories ranks as the second highest win total in a season at UVa. The 12 conference wins were the most ACC victories that Virginia has recorded in a single season in the history of the program.

In her four seasons as the head coach at Virginia, Shelton has posted a record of 77-57. Although the Cavaliers were picked to finish seventh in the conference in the coaches pre-season poll in 98, Shelton guided UVa to a second place finish in the ACC and advanced to the ACC Tournament semi-finals as the number two seed. She directed Virginia to its first ever NCAA Tournament appearance in the history of the volleyball program at UVa, as the Cavaliers earned an at-large bid. Virginia eventually fell to UCLA 3-1 in the first round. However, it capped the ending of one of the best seasons ever at UVa. The Cavaliers finished the season 4-1 against in state opponents under Shelton.

Third-year setter Mary Frances Scott (Phoenix, Ariz/Xavier College Prep) joined Parsons on the All-State Team. Scott already ranks first at Virginia in career assists (4562), career assists per game (12.20), stands first (12.78), second (12.48) and fifth (11.30) in season assists per game, stands second (1598), third (1597) and fifth (1367) in assists per season, sixth in career digs (1035) and digs per game in a career (2.77), seventh in block assists in a career (196), ninth in total career blocks in a season (227) at Virginia. Scott has also tied the UVa record for assists in a match with 80.

In 1998, she appeared in 34 matches and played in 128 games. She collected 1597 assists, 385 digs, 97 kills, 79 blocks and 29 service aces. Scott became Virginias all-time assist leader with 4,562 assists and bypassed former assists leader Lisa Flowers record of 3,071 assists when she recorded her 30th assist against Minnesota (9/4) to becomes UVas all-time leader. She gathered her 1,000 career dig in a 3-2 victory over Wake Forest (11/15) and has collected at least 70 assists three times, 60 assists six times, and 50 assists 12 times last season. Scott earned All-Tournament honors in each of the three tournaments that Virginia competed in this season and averaged a double-double on the year (46.97 assists and 11.32 digs per match). She recorded 172 assists, 26 digs, 13 kills and 11 blocks in the Navy Trident Classic, posted 161 assists, 42 digs, 12 blocks and 11 kills in the Pepperdine Tournament and gathered 110 assists, 26 digs, nine blocks, six kills and three service aces in the Jefferson Cup Tournament. Scott helped guide Virginia to first place finishes in both the Pepperdine Tournament and Jefferson Cup Tournament and paced UVa to a second place finish in the Navy Trident Classic.

Parsons and Scott were joined on the VaSID All-State Team by Corrie Bundy of Virginia Tech, Lindsay Collingwood of James Madison, Kyrie Dom of Liberty and Karla Gessler of James Madison.

1999 Virginia SID’s All-State Volleyball Team

Name                 School          Year        PositionCorrie Bundy         Virginia Tech   Senior      Middle BlockerLindsay Collingwood  James Madison   Junior      Outside HitterKyrie Dom            Liberty         Junior      Outside HitterKarla Gessler        James Madison   Sophomore   Middle HitterJessica Parsons      Virginia        Junior      Middle HitterMary Frances Scott   Virginia        Junior      Setter

Player of the Year – Jessica Parsons, Virginia
Coach of the Year – Melissa Aldrich Shelton, Virginia