Sarah Billiard Named to ACC All-Freshman Team

Nov. 27, 2017

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia volleyball outside hitter Sarah Billiard (Matthews, N.C.) was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Freshman team, the league announced on Monday (Nov. 27).

“For the ACC coaches to vote Sarah to the All-Freshman team is a great honor and I know she will use this as motivation to be more impactful in the coming years,” head coach Aaron Smith said. “Sarah has the potential to be a premier player in the ACC, but she knows there is work to be done to achieve that. I could not be happier for her to receive this honor, it is only the beginning for her and her fellow first years.”

Billiard was second on the team with 2.84 kills per set, which ranks ninth all-time among UVA freshmen. Billiard totaled 213 kills and 37 blocks during the 2017 season. She finished with double-digit kills in 12 matches, ranking third on the team.

Billiard opened her UVA career with three-straight double-digit kill matches and had a career-high 20 kills in the win at Appalachian State. After missing 10 matches due to injury, she closed out the season with double-figure kills in six of the last eight matches. She was also fourth on the team in blocks (37) and third with eight solo blocks. She had a career-high five blocks in the win over Clemson.

“The team relied on many underclassmen to play pivotal roles this year, with Sarah certainly being one of them,” Smith said. “This is a great recognition for her, but I’m certain she will give the credit to her teammates for putting her in position to have success. That is just the way this girl works.”