Lancaster, Pa. – (11/18/2025) – Gwynedd Mercy University junior outside hitter Kate Etter (Chambersburg, Pa.) and senior middle hitter Charlotte Pugh (Philadelphia, Pa.) were the latest Griffins to garner all-league status as they were two of 14 student-athletes recognized by league commissioner Rebecca Mullen on the 2025 All-Atlantic East Conference (AEC) Women's Volleyball Team. The AEC also announced the 2025 Women's Volleyball Major Award Winners; Marywood University offered the league's Specialty Player of the Year in freshman setter Ayla Bransford (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Coaching Staff of the Year in Head Coach Maegan Eddinger and her assistants; Ashleen Speen and Mikayla Bayly. Both the Player and Rookie of the Year were provided by the 2025 AEC Champion, Marymount University as junior defensive specialist Ava Humphries (Charlotte, N.C.) and freshman outside hitter/defensive specialist Hailey LaBonte (Portsmouth, R.I.) were recognized with the honors, respectively. Marywood University senior right side Leah Zambetti (Yatesville, Pa.) was recognized at the championship site with the AEC Women's Volleyball Elite Scholar Athlete Award.
 
Marywood University Head Coach Maegan Eddinger and her staff led the Pacers to a 25-5 overall record and a 5-2 conference standing that earned them the #2 seed in the 2025 AEC Women's Volleyball Championship Tournament. Marywood University placed four student-athletes on the 2025 All-AEC Women's Volleyball Team, including Bransford.
 
Bransford led the AEC in assists (1^st, 901) and ranked sixth in aces (6^th, 55) during her debut season. She was a four-time AEC Specialty Player of the Week (Oct. 6, Oct. 20, Oct. 27, Nov. 10) while totaling 116.5 points (42 kills, 55 aces, 27 block assists, 6 solo blocks), 901 assists, and 211 digs.
 
Humphries and LaBonte made a fearsome duo for Marymount University, eventually leading the Saints to a 3-0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-17) AEC Championship victory over Marywood University (Nov. 15). The former ranked first in the AEC for digs (1^st, 518) and seventh for aces (7^th, 52). She garnered the AEC Specialty Player of the Week title on September 2 while totaling 55.0 points (3 kills, 52 aces), 42 assists, and 518 digs. Meanwhile, the latter ranked third in the AEC for kills (3^rd, 294), fifth for points (5^th, 350.5), and tied for eighth in aces (T8^th, 50).

Etter was Gwynedd Mercy University's points leader with the league's second best kill total (2^nd, 297) and seventh best point total (7^th, 340.0 points); she ranked among the AEC Top-10 in both, while also tying for ninth in hitting percentage (T9^th, .178; 297K-144E-886TA). She was named to the AEC Weekly Honor Roll four times (Sept. 9, Oct. 8, Oct. 13, Nov. 3) and finished the season with 340.0 points (297 kills, 29 aces, 22 block assists, 3 solo blocks), 19 assists, and 217 digs. Etter was an All-AEC Second Team selection in 2024.
 
Pugh ranked among the AEC Top-10 in both digs (8^th, 307) and kills (9^th, 271). She recorded the 1,000^th dig of her collegiate career during a 3-0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-17) loss at Marywood University (Oct. 11) and made two appearances on the AEC Women's Volleyball Weekly Report with an Honor Roll mention on September 16 and the Player of the Week title on November 10.
 
The complete 2025 All-AEC Women's Volleyball Team and Major Award Winners are listed below and available by using the provided links.
   
First Team:
Ayla Bransford, Marywood University
Kate Etter, Gwynedd Mercy University
Mia Esposito, Immaculata University
Taylor Hallam, Marywood University
Ava Humphries, Marymount University
Poppy Skjonnemand, Centenary University (N.J.)
Catie Woolf, Marywood University
 
Second Team:
Rey Bennett, Centenary University
Melissa Eddy, Neumann University
Hailey LaBonte, Marymount University
Charlotte Pugh, Gwynedd Mercy University
Carolina Samaniego, Marywood University
Julia Solomon, Neumann University
Elizabeth Stackpole, Marymount University