Modlin Swings Her Way to All-American Honors
According to Sandhills Community College Volleyball Coach Alicia Riggan one of the most exciting things about Carley Modlin is that she hasn't reached her peak yet.
This week the 6-foot-1 middle hitter was named an NJCAA Division III Honorable Mention All-American after helping lead a team of 13 first-year Lady Flyers to Region 10 regular season and tournament titles, and a record of 21-12.
Previously she earned all-region honors and was named the Region 10 Player of the Year.
"At the beginning of the year we were all just trying to get used to each other," Modlin said on Thursday. "At the time of the year when we set goals as a team, I had all-region, conference player of the year and All-American on my list so it feels really good to get all three of those this past year."
The product of Pinecrest High School joins Miranda Love (first team, 2010), Paige Garner (first team, 2017) and Abby Wallace (honorable mention, 2018) as Lady Flyers to earn All-American honors in volleyball. She is the first to achieve it as a freshman and one of only six first-year players on this season's 30-member All-American team.
Modlin finished among the leaders nationally in block solo (3rd, 90), block total (6th, 117), hitting percentage (8th, .388) and kills (14th, 364). She was credited with a season- high 22 kills to go with six digs and five total blocks in a 3-2 win at Lenoir CC on October 2. She is second all-time on the Flyers in kills in a single season to the 424 recorded by Love in 2010.
During one stretch that saw the Flyers win 14 of 15 matches, Modlin averaged 14.4 kills per match.
Along with her teammates, Modlin got to test her self twice each against two-time national champion Owens CC and runner-up Columbus State, first at a Labor Day tournament in Ohio and later at the district tournament held at The Hangar early last month.
One of her goals for next season is to improve her serve and earn the opportunity to play all-around as she did at Pinecrest where she was tied for first on the team in service aces, and second in digs and serve receiving.
"I love that it's not enough for Carley and that she wants to serve and play all-around," Riggan said. "She had really never been in the weight room until last summer so I'm also excited about the off-season when she can really build some muscle.
"When you add that to what she already has talent-wise, she could be unstoppable next year."
Modlin displayed a variety of methods to finish an attack including tips and balls pushed just inside the back line. Her enthusiastic reactions after putting one straight down were enjoyed by fans at The Hangar.
"She gets hyped," her coach says, "and I think the team feeds off of that energy and that's why we want to get her the ball. She's had a super freshman year, but she is going to have to work twice as hard because teams are going to be preparing for her."
C. Bergmann