BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Freshman Zedo Yilmaz of American University volleyball has been named the Patriot League's Rookie of the Year, and is joined on the All-PL First Team by seniors Esma Sipahi and Lilou Stegeman. The Eagles finished third in the PL standings, and will host sixth-seeded Lehigh in a tournament quarterfinal on Tuesday evening in Bender Arena.

Yilmaz set a program record this season with six PL Rookie of the Week honors, and has been truly outstanding in her debut season at American. She leads the Patriot League in kills (364) and points (426), while ranking second in points per set (3.91) and fifth in kills per set (3.34). Yilmaz has posted 11 double-doubles, including 18 kills to go with a career-high 23 digs in AU's five-set win over Howard on Sept. 10. She posted a career-high 20 kills in the Eagles' 3-0 sweep at Holy Cross on Sept. 28.

The PL First Team honor is the second straight for Sipahi, a first-team selection and the PL Setter of the Year in 2023. Stegeman is a first-time All-PL selection after having a breakout year in her second season back from injury.

Sipahi ranks sixth all-time in program history with 2,951 assists, and ranks second in the PL with 9.86 assists per set this season. The Patriot League honored Sipahi as the Player of the Week twice this season. She recorded seven double-doubles, coming just one kill shy of a triple-double in the Eagles' five-set win over regular season champion Colgate on Oct. 26.

Stegeman ranks third in the PL with a hitting percentage of .337, and ranks fifth in blocks per set at 1.13. She tallied a double-double with 11 kills and 10 blocks in a four-set win at Army on Oct. 19, also posting 10 blocks two matches later in the five-set win over Colgate. Stegeman has reached double figures in kills 10 times this season, eight more than in 2023.

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

Note: Student-athletes are listed alphabetically by institution
*Due to a tie in voting, there are 12 members on the first team.