COLLEGE PARK, MD – Graduate student middle blocker Rainelle Jones and redshirt junior middle blocker Anastasia Russ were both named to second team All-Big Ten, the conference announced Wednesday morning.
Jones earns her spot on the second team after leading the NCAA in blocks with 1.59 per set for the second consecutive year. She’s the first Terp in program history to lead the NCAA in any statistical category. She had three double-digit block matches including 11 stuffs in the season finale against Indiana.
As the Oxon Hill, Maryland, native wraps up her career in a Maryland uniform, she holds the program record for total blocks with 718. Her 2022 season totals place her top-five in Maryland record books for block assists and total blocks. Jones’ efforts were also recognized during the season with a pair of Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week recognitions.
Russ joins Jones on the second team after a stellar first season with the Terps. Russ became the second Terp in program history to lead an NCAA statistical category as she completed the 2022 campaign with 182 total blocks. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native also finished top-five in blocks per set with 1.54. Russ will go down in the record books for block assists in a season, totaling 160.
Senior defensive specialist Lexy Finnerty was also recognized on Wednesday as a Sportsmanship Honoree. After recording a career-high 14 digs in the season finale against Indiana, Finnerty closes out her time in a Maryland uniform with 316 digs, 56 assists and 47 service aces.
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