HAMILTON – The Patriot League released its volleyball postseason awards on Monday afternoon, and sophomore outside hitter Milan Bayless was announced as the Player of the Year to headline Colgate's four All-Patriot League selections. 

Bayless joined senior outside hitter Abby Shadwick with All-Patriot League First Team honors, while first-year right-side hitter Tiana Owens and senior setter Sydney Jones earned All-Patriot League Second Team notice from the league office. 

Bayless becomes Colgate's sixth different player to earn the Patriot League's Player of the Year and the first since Julia Kurowski earned the top honor in 2022. She is the first sophomore to land the award since American's Aleksandra Kazala was named POY in 2016. 

The La Mesa, Calif., native ranked fourth in the Patriot League averaging 3.34 kills per set. In 27 matches played she led the team with 311 kills to go along with a .260 hitting percentage. Defensively the outside hitter finished third on the team with 53 blocks and fourth in digs (184).

Bayless had 20 matches with double-digit kills and three double-doubles. She landed a season-high 25 kills with a .316 hitting percentage in a five-set match at American. Against Army, she registered 13 kills, a season-high 16 digs, and five block assists. 

Shadwick became Colgate's eighth three-time All-Patriot League First Team honoree, joining recent graduates Julia Kurowski and Alli Lowe. The senior led the team and ranked third in the Patriot League in kills per set (3.38) finishing with 264 kills and a .267 hitting percentage. 

The Lexington, Ky., product recorded four double-doubles on the season with double-digit kills in 11 matches. She posted 21 kills in a match twice – including the last game of the regular season at Bucknell where she scored the final six points of the comeback 3-2 victory. 

Owens finished 10th in the Patriot League in hitting percentage (.261) and fourth on the team in kills (147). Defensively she had 43 blocks, good for sixth-best on the team. The right-side hitter reached double-digit kills in four matches including a season-high 13 kills with five block assists in a 3-1 victory over Bucknell (Oct. 13). 

Jones, now a two-time All-Patriot League Second Team selection, finished sixth in the Patriot League in assists averaging 5.17 per set. She paced the team with 537 total assists and continued to be a threat from the service line with a team-best 36 aces. The senior setter contributed to Colgate's .242 hitting clip, which ranked No. 1 in the Patriot League. 

UP NEXT
Colgate (17-10, 14-2 Patriot) as the regular season champion has earned hosting rights for the final four of the Patriot League tournament. The Raiders will host the lowest-seeded team remaining in a semifinal bout Friday at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN+. 

2024 Patriot League Women's Volleyball Major Award Winners

Player of the Year: Milan Bayless, Colgate, So., OH
Setter of the Year: Caleigh O'Connell, Bucknell, Jr., S
Libero of the Year: Jordan Hardy, Bucknell, Sr., L
Rookie of the Year: Zedo Yilmaz, American, Fr., OH
The Barry Golberg Coach of the Year: Tyler Hagstrom, Bucknell
 
All-Patriot League First Team
Esma Sipahi, American, Sr., S
Lilou Stegeman, American, Sr., MB
Zedo Yilmaz, American, Fr., OH
Mackenzie Lynch, Army West Point, Jr., OH
Kingsley Wallace, Army West Point, Sr., RS
Bri Frazilus, Bucknell, Jr., OH
Jordan Hardy, Bucknell, Sr., L
Caleigh O'Connell, Bucknell, Jr., S
Sidney Shaffer, Bucknell, So., MB
Milan Bayless, Colgate, So., OH
Abby Shadwick, Colgate, Sr., OH
Emily Stewart, Lehigh, Sr., MB
 
All-Patriot League Second Team
Juliette Myrick, Army West Point, So., S
Chloe Murakami, Army West Point, Jr., OH
Tijana Kostic, Bucknell, Jr., OPP
Tiana Owens, Colgate, Fr., RS
Sydney Jones, Colgate, Sr., S
Kyleigh Brown, Lehigh, Sr., L
Natalie Luscomb, Lehigh, Jr., RS
Lauren Link, Loyola Maryland, Gr., OH
Kacy Sekunda, Loyola Maryland, Sr., S/OPP
Farrah Eike, Navy, Fr., OH