TOWSON, Md. --- Moravian College seniors libero Jean Markovic and outside hitter Mary Zacher have been named to the 2017 Landmark All-Conference Women's Volleyball First Team, and Markovic was selected as the Specialist of the Year by the conference coaches.
The duo helped the Greyhounds to an 18-15 overall record this season and a 3-3 slate in the Landmark Conference regular season as the Hounds reached the Landmark Conference Tournament for the first time since 2014 where the Blue and Grey fell to nationally-ranked and now 11-time conference champion Juniata College in the Semifinals.
"Since we play in such a hard conference, it's difficult for many players to get the recognition they deserve," stated Head Coach Shelley Bauder, who picked up her 500th career victory in the Greyhounds final regular season match, a 3-2 victory over The Catholic University of America to clinch the Landmark Conference tournament berth. "That's why I am so pleased that Mary and Jean received All-Conference honors this year."
Markovic led the squad with a career-high 627 digs this fall, the fourth best season in school history, as she finished her career second in the Moravian record books with 2,239 digs. Markovic also had 62 assists, 34 service aces and six kills to give her career totals of 230 assists, 144 service aces, which ranks tenth in the record book, and 21 kills in 451 sets played, which is tied for 11th in program history. Markovic is a three-time member of the Landmark Conference Fall Academic Honor Roll.
"The fact that Jean received not only All-Conference honors but Specialist of the Year honors proves to everyone that she can compete among the top teams in the country on defense," noted Bauder. "She was relentless this year both in practices and matches and I'm sure frustrated many opponents when they couldn't get a ball down anywhere near her. She is a fierce competitor and I'm so happy that she has been named the best libero in the conference."
Zacher led Moravian with a career-high and school-record 493 kills as she finished her career with 1,491 kills to rank fourth on the program's all-time list. Zacher also had 362 digs, 38 service aces, 30 assists and 20 blocks in 2017 to finish her career with 1,506 digs, which is sixth all-time, 163 service aces, which ranks sixth in the record book, 105 assists and 70 blocks in 481 sets play, which is fourth in program history. Zacher, who also set a school record with 4,753 attack attempts, is also a three-time member of the Landmark Conference Fall Academic Honor Roll.
"Mary was a work horse not only hitting but also in passing and defense, she never took a play off and I'm so proud of her and the fact that the Landmark coaches recognized how well she played her senior year," commented Bauder.
During their careers, Markovic and Zacher helped Moravian to 70 victories and berths in the Landmark Conference Tournament in 2014 and 2017 and the ECAC Division III Tournament in 2016 where the squad made the Quarterfinals.
"We surmised earlier in the year that for any of our players to receive All-Conference honors we would have to make it back to playoffs and Jean and Mary spearheaded the charge to get us there," Bauder finished.
