Morella Among Four Named To All-Region XX Volleyball Squad

(Butler, PA) – Ellwood City graduate Madison Morella was among four players on a Butler County Community College volleyball team crowned in October as the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Region XX champions are among nine selections to the All-Region XX squad.

Setter Mackenzie Craig, of Karns City; middle hitter Emily Magusiak, of New Castle; and right-side hitter Makenzie McDowell, of Knoch, were named to a seven-member first team; and middle hitter Morella, was one of two players chosen as honorable mention.

Craig in 2018 led the Pioneers and Region XX with 561 assists and 77 service aces. Magusiak topped BC3 and Region XX with 390 digs, and was first among the Pioneers and second in the region with 166 kills. McDowell and Morella were second at BC3 with 324 digs and 10 blocked shots, respectively.

Madison Morella, of Ellwood City, a middle hitter on the Butler County Community College volleyball team, was named to the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III All-Region XX honorable mention squad. Morella finished second among the Pioneers with 10 blocked shots.

Magusiak was also named to the Region XX all-tournament squad after BC3’s 3-1 victory over host Anne Arundel, of Arnold, Md., in the Oct. 27 championship. Craig was chosen as most valuable player.

The Pioneers’ Region XX title was their third in four years and ninth since 1999 under coach Rob Snyder. BC3 advanced to the Division III District I/J Tournament, where it lost in the semifinals Nov. 3. The Pioneers finished 19-7 and with their 10th straight winning season.

Craig, Magusiak, McDowell and Morella were also Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference all-conference squad picks after the Pioneers swept the Community College of Beaver County in the Oct. 20 championship to win their fourth WPCC crown, 10th under Snyder and 15th since 1977.

Snyder, whose career record at BC3 through 20 seasons is 375-128, was also selected as the WPCC’s coach of the year for the ninth time.

Joining BC3 and Anne Arundel in Region XX are the Community College of Allegheny County-Boyce; Pennsylvania Highlands, Johnstown; Howard Community College, Columbia, Md.; and Westmoreland County Community College.

Other Region XX first-team selections were Brittney Guy and Kathryn Hawes, of Anne Arundel; Harper Ecrole, of CCAC-Boyce; and Alyson Platt, of Pennsylvania Highlands.

Serena Hochmuth, of Anne Arundel, was also named honorable mention.