HottyToddy.com Sports Roundup

Hottytoddy.com is giving readers a roundup of all the commentary and information about the Ole Miss Rebels from various publications around the Web.

Readers will be able to check out the latest information in a single post every week throughout the season. Here at HottyToddy.com, we are doing all the leg work to find the information that people want to hear about Ole Miss sports.

This week, the roundup will consist of articles on volleyball, soccer and the rifle team.

Volleyball

Clair, Laporte Named AVCA All-Region

Ole Miss senior middle blockers Nakeyta Clair and Ty Laporte led the way for the Rebels in 2015, and both were rewarded with All-Region honors as announced by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Tuesday. Clair was named to the first team and Laporte was an honorable mention selection.

This marks the second year in a row for the Rebels to have multiple honorees and the second straight year for Clair to be named to the first team.

“We are very proud of Nakeyta and Ty,” head coach Steven McRoberts said. “It’s great that they can both end their senior year with some well-deserved recognition. Our team relied on both of them a lot offensively this season and more times than not they stepped up to the challenge. They are leaving some big shoes to fill for our middle blockers next year.”

Clair (Country Club Hills, Illinois) wrapped up a record-setting career in 2015 ranking among the top hitters in the SEC for the second year in a row. She set the career record for total blocks, block assists, block solos and hitting percentage.  In addition, Clair set the single season record for block solos, to go along with the single season records she already held in total blocks and block assists. Clair earned All-SEC honors for the second year in a row.

Laporte (Irmo, South Carolina) finished the year ranked among the top 10 in the SEC in hitting percentage. She ended her career ranked among the top three in a career for total blocks and block assists and fifth in kills. Laporte was named Co-SEC Offensive Player of the Week once in 2015, named MVP of the Fight Like Hal Memorial Tournament and named to the Hilton Garden Inn Cary Classic.

Ole Miss is one of only two teams in the SEC to boast two players with at least 100 blocks this season.

For more information on Ole Miss Volleyball, follow the Rebels on Twitter, @OleMissVB, on Facebook at OleMissVolleyball and on Instagram at OleMissVB. Also follow Coach McRoberts on Twitter, @CoachMcRoberts.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

Soccer

Ole Miss Soccer Ranked No. 16 in Final Poll, Highest Finish in School History

To add to the record-breaking season of 2015, Ole Miss soccer was ranked No. 16 in Tuesday’s final National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll, the highest finish for the program in school history.

The Rebels completed the stellar 2015 campaign 14-5-4 overall, advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in school history. Ole Miss also achieved its highest regular-season ranking ever of No. 12 back in October after stringing together five-straight wins, three of which were over top-25 opponents.

Ole Miss advanced to the second round of the postseason for the third time overall and second in the last two seasons, and hosted just its second-ever NCAA Championship match in a 1-0 win over Murray State before advancing on to the Clemson regional.

The Rebels claimed two victories over top-10 teams in the regular season in back-to-back 2-0 shutouts over No. 10 South Carolina and No. 10 Auburn in October. The squad ultimately went on to knock off No. 7 Clemson in penalty kicks in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Ole Miss had three Rebels earn All-SEC honors, five SEC Player of the Week honorees, three CoSIDA Academic All-District honorees, two CoSIDA Academic All-America honorees and three NSCAA All-South Region players.

The seven-member Rebel senior class not only finished their careers strong, but as a class tied for the most wins of any senior class in Ole Miss soccer history with 51 victories over a four-year span.

Keep up with all the latest news and information on the Rebels by following Ole Miss Soccer on Twitter at @OleMissSoccer, on Facebook at Facebook.com/OleMissSoccer, and on Instagram at Instagram.com/officialolemisssoccer. Also follow head coach Matt Mott on Twitter at @CoachMattMott.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

Rifle 

Weisz Advances at Olympic Team Trials

While many Ole Miss students were preparing for finals this past weekend, rifle junior Alison Weisz and freshman Harley Gardner were in Colorado Springs, Colorado for the USA Shooting Winter Airgun Championships held at the Olympic Training Center.

The Winter Airgun Championships served as part one of the 2016 Olympic Team Trials.

Weisz (Belgrade, Montana) shot a three-day total of 1242.1 in the 10m women’s air rifle competition to earn ninth overall and advance to the second stage of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Air Rifle Team Trials, set for June of 2016. She made the junior finals all three days.

“I am very excited! If nothing else it was very cool to experience my first Olympic Trials and I am very grateful to have been able to go and accomplish my goals as well,” Weisz said. “I was thankful to find out the second trials aren’t until June, so I don’t have to worry about it conflicting with our college season. This gives me great confidence, but the international format of rifle is much different than collegiate rifle. I am just trying to stay focused on what lies ahead for the rest of our season in the spring and then I’ll worry about the second state of Olympic Trials.”

Gardner (Bellville, Texas) finished 36th overall and 27th among juniors only with a total of 1221.4. She scored a PR of 408.8 on the final day, Sunday.

“I am so proud of both ladies that competed last weekend,” head coach Valerie Boothe said. “They improved their scores each day throughout the competition. I think it was a confidence boost for both. It was great to see Ole Miss represented in a final each day. Ali has worked really hard for this moment and it’s fantastic to see her work pay off by being in the top 10.”

The Rebels return to collegiate competition January 16, when they host Murray State at the Patricia C. Lamar National Guard Readiness Center.

For more information on Ole Miss Rifle, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissRifle, on Facebook at OleMissRifle and on Instagram @OleMissRifle. Also follow head coach Valerie Boothe on Twitter, @ValerieBoothe.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics

HottyToddy.com Sports Staff

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