University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Cole, Harris, Placide Collect Big Sky Honors
11/21/2023 3:31:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado placed two on the All-Big Sky Conference Team and collected two individual honors, the conference office announced Tuesday.
"Our three players are very deserving," head coach Lyndsey Oates said. "We have two very veteran players in Makenzie Harris and Syd Cole. They touch a lot of balls on our side of the net and when they are playing well the Bears are in an advantageous position. The future is very bright with Gabi Placide and all our underclassmen. We do not typically have freshmen in a starting role as attackers, but she has had a very solid year."
Syd Cole garnered a second-consecutive first-team selection and added setter of the year to her list of accolades, as a unanimous selection for both honors.
Gabi Placide collected outstanding freshman of the year, becoming the second Bear to earn the award, with Andrea Spaustat receiving the honor in 2011.
Makenzie Harris added to her career hardware with her second-consecutive All-Big Sky First Team selection. She took home Big Sky Tournament MVP each of the last two seasons.
Cole finished the regular season with 1,005 assists (9.85 per set) – second in the league, with 199 digs, 87 kills, 28 aces and 26 blocks.
Placide tallied 217 kills and 52 blocks, ranking second and third on the team, respectively.
Harris led the Bears with 349 kills (3.42 per set) – fifth in the conference while totaling 230 digs, 38 blocks and 31 service aces.
The Bears open the Big Sky Conference Volleyball Championship against seventh-seeded Eastern Washington at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
The first of four quarterfinal matches features No. 4 Weber State and No. 5 Portland State at 10 a.m. Sacramento State – the regular-season champion and No. 1 seed takes on No. 8 Idaho State at 1 p.m.
In the night session, No. 3 Montana State and No. 6 meet for the third time this season, before the Bears and Eagles wrap up day one.
The winners of the first two matches meet on Thanksgiving Day at 4 p.m., while the second semifinal follows at 7 p.m., with the championship match at 7 p.m. Friday.
Northern Colorado hosts the 2023 Big Sky Volleyball Championship at Bank of Colorado Arena and tickets are on sale now. To purchase tickets, visit uncbears.com/tickets or call 970-351-4849. Tickets can also be purchased at the Campus Commons Ticket Office, Monday-Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
2023 Individual Awards
Most Valuable Player: Bridgette Smith, Sacramento State*
Libero of the Year: Makayla Sorensen, Weber State
Setter of the Year: Syd Cole, Northern Colorado*
Top Newcomer of the Year: Lauryn Anderson, Portland State
Outstanding Freshman of the Year: Gabi Placide, Northern Colorado
Coach of the Year: Ruben Volta, Sacramento State
* unanimous selection
First Team
Bridgette Smith, Sacramento State
Kira Thomsen, Montana State*
Syd Cole, Northern Colorado*
Dani Richins, Weber State*
Kalani Hayes, Sacramento State
Tiyanane Kamba-Griffin, Sacramento State*
Sophia Meyers, Portland State*
Makenzie Harris, Northern Colorado
Jourdain Kamps, Montana State
Kate Standifird, Weber State
* unanimous selection
Second Team
Madi Chulantseff, Montana
Paige Clark, Montana
Ellie Tisko, Sacramento State
Makayla Sorensen, Weber State
Lauryn Anderson, Portland State
Carly Anderson, Montana
Jamie Streit, Idaho State
Caty Cordano, Sacramento State
Sage Brustad, Eastern Washington
Bri Gunderson, Eastern Washington
"Our three players are very deserving," head coach Lyndsey Oates said. "We have two very veteran players in Makenzie Harris and Syd Cole. They touch a lot of balls on our side of the net and when they are playing well the Bears are in an advantageous position. The future is very bright with Gabi Placide and all our underclassmen. We do not typically have freshmen in a starting role as attackers, but she has had a very solid year."
Syd Cole garnered a second-consecutive first-team selection and added setter of the year to her list of accolades, as a unanimous selection for both honors.
Gabi Placide collected outstanding freshman of the year, becoming the second Bear to earn the award, with Andrea Spaustat receiving the honor in 2011.
Makenzie Harris added to her career hardware with her second-consecutive All-Big Sky First Team selection. She took home Big Sky Tournament MVP each of the last two seasons.
Cole finished the regular season with 1,005 assists (9.85 per set) – second in the league, with 199 digs, 87 kills, 28 aces and 26 blocks.
Placide tallied 217 kills and 52 blocks, ranking second and third on the team, respectively.
Harris led the Bears with 349 kills (3.42 per set) – fifth in the conference while totaling 230 digs, 38 blocks and 31 service aces.
The Bears open the Big Sky Conference Volleyball Championship against seventh-seeded Eastern Washington at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
The first of four quarterfinal matches features No. 4 Weber State and No. 5 Portland State at 10 a.m. Sacramento State – the regular-season champion and No. 1 seed takes on No. 8 Idaho State at 1 p.m.
In the night session, No. 3 Montana State and No. 6 meet for the third time this season, before the Bears and Eagles wrap up day one.
The winners of the first two matches meet on Thanksgiving Day at 4 p.m., while the second semifinal follows at 7 p.m., with the championship match at 7 p.m. Friday.
Northern Colorado hosts the 2023 Big Sky Volleyball Championship at Bank of Colorado Arena and tickets are on sale now. To purchase tickets, visit uncbears.com/tickets or call 970-351-4849. Tickets can also be purchased at the Campus Commons Ticket Office, Monday-Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
2023 Individual Awards
Most Valuable Player: Bridgette Smith, Sacramento State*
Libero of the Year: Makayla Sorensen, Weber State
Setter of the Year: Syd Cole, Northern Colorado*
Top Newcomer of the Year: Lauryn Anderson, Portland State
Outstanding Freshman of the Year: Gabi Placide, Northern Colorado
Coach of the Year: Ruben Volta, Sacramento State
* unanimous selection
First Team
Bridgette Smith, Sacramento State
Kira Thomsen, Montana State*
Syd Cole, Northern Colorado*
Dani Richins, Weber State*
Kalani Hayes, Sacramento State
Tiyanane Kamba-Griffin, Sacramento State*
Sophia Meyers, Portland State*
Makenzie Harris, Northern Colorado
Jourdain Kamps, Montana State
Kate Standifird, Weber State
* unanimous selection
Second Team
Madi Chulantseff, Montana
Paige Clark, Montana
Ellie Tisko, Sacramento State
Makayla Sorensen, Weber State
Lauryn Anderson, Portland State
Carly Anderson, Montana
Jamie Streit, Idaho State
Caty Cordano, Sacramento State
Sage Brustad, Eastern Washington
Bri Gunderson, Eastern Washington
Players Mentioned
OH
/ Women's Volleyball
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