Six Skyhawks Accumulate OVC Postseason Accolades As Mariscal Named League's Freshman Of The Year
4/23/2025 10:00:00 AM | Beach Volleyball
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – The Ohio Valley Conference unveiled its 2025 beach volleyball postseason awards this morning as a total of six University of Tennessee at Martin representatives combined for seven awards as voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.
Lauren Mariscal became only the second player in Skyhawk history to be named OVC Freshman of the Year while Kayla Bryant and Olivia O'Keefe were selected to the five-pair All-OVC first team. The UT Martin duo of Sydney Eckhardt/Reagan McGee was one of five twosomes on the All-OVC second team while Kylie Surratt joined Mariscal as two Skyhawks on the league's five-player All-Freshman squad.
Mariscal joins Dylan Mott (2022) as the only players in school history to be crowned as the league's top freshman. The Naperville, Ill. native made her season debut on March 22 and proceeded to dominate – posting an 11-2 record with a 6-1 mark in OVC play, mostly alongside partner Jenna Vallée at No. 3. She produced three separate three-match winning streaks, including an active five-match stretch entering tomorrow's OVC Championship tournament. She also displayed a noticeable clutch gene, digging deep for match-clinching points against Chattanooga (April 9), Mary Hardin-Baylor (April 11), Lindenwood (April 19) and Tennessee Tech (April 19) just in the last two weeks alone.
Today's announcement marks the third All-OVC mention in as many seasons for O'Keefe (with three separate partners) and second career OVC postseason honor for Bryant (in addition to her 2023 All-Freshman accolade). The duo of Bryant/O'Keefe went 25-5 while splitting time between No. 2 (12-1) and No. 3 (13-4). Their 25 victories are the most by any Skyhawk duo in school history as they won nine of their 10 decisions against OVC opponents. The tandem has won 11 straight decisions and also boasted a separate eight-match winning streak from March 14-22. They tied a single-season program record with three OVC Pair of the Week awards this spring, bringing home that accolade on March 5, March 25 and April 15.
Eckhardt and McGee each collect their second All-OVC recognition in the last two years. Those two joined forces to go 22-3 this spring, including a 9-1 mark in league competition. Their 22 wins are the fifth-most in a single season in program history as they split time between No. 4 (remarkable 21-1 record) and No. 5. They unreeled a phenomenal 14-match winning streak from March 7 through March 29 and are victors of eight straight decisions going into tomorrow's OVC Championship first round.
Hailing from Maryland Heights, Mo., Surratt joins Mariscal (2025), McGee (2024), Bryant (2023), Mott (2022) and Addy Vaughn (2022) as the only players in school history to be spotlighted as OVC All-Freshman recipients. Surratt accounted for a 13-5 overall record and a 5-1 mark in OVC play while playing alongside two different partners (Ryan Rednour, Mott) this spring at No. 5. She won the first three decisions of her collegiate career and won nine of her final 10 matchups to complete the regular season.
Each of these six honorees will be in action tomorrow as UT Martin starts the 2025 OVC Championship at 3 p.m. CT against either No. 3 seed Morehead State or No. 6 seed Eastern Illinois in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Lauren Mariscal became only the second player in Skyhawk history to be named OVC Freshman of the Year while Kayla Bryant and Olivia O'Keefe were selected to the five-pair All-OVC first team. The UT Martin duo of Sydney Eckhardt/Reagan McGee was one of five twosomes on the All-OVC second team while Kylie Surratt joined Mariscal as two Skyhawks on the league's five-player All-Freshman squad.
Mariscal joins Dylan Mott (2022) as the only players in school history to be crowned as the league's top freshman. The Naperville, Ill. native made her season debut on March 22 and proceeded to dominate – posting an 11-2 record with a 6-1 mark in OVC play, mostly alongside partner Jenna Vallée at No. 3. She produced three separate three-match winning streaks, including an active five-match stretch entering tomorrow's OVC Championship tournament. She also displayed a noticeable clutch gene, digging deep for match-clinching points against Chattanooga (April 9), Mary Hardin-Baylor (April 11), Lindenwood (April 19) and Tennessee Tech (April 19) just in the last two weeks alone.
Today's announcement marks the third All-OVC mention in as many seasons for O'Keefe (with three separate partners) and second career OVC postseason honor for Bryant (in addition to her 2023 All-Freshman accolade). The duo of Bryant/O'Keefe went 25-5 while splitting time between No. 2 (12-1) and No. 3 (13-4). Their 25 victories are the most by any Skyhawk duo in school history as they won nine of their 10 decisions against OVC opponents. The tandem has won 11 straight decisions and also boasted a separate eight-match winning streak from March 14-22. They tied a single-season program record with three OVC Pair of the Week awards this spring, bringing home that accolade on March 5, March 25 and April 15.
Eckhardt and McGee each collect their second All-OVC recognition in the last two years. Those two joined forces to go 22-3 this spring, including a 9-1 mark in league competition. Their 22 wins are the fifth-most in a single season in program history as they split time between No. 4 (remarkable 21-1 record) and No. 5. They unreeled a phenomenal 14-match winning streak from March 7 through March 29 and are victors of eight straight decisions going into tomorrow's OVC Championship first round.
Hailing from Maryland Heights, Mo., Surratt joins Mariscal (2025), McGee (2024), Bryant (2023), Mott (2022) and Addy Vaughn (2022) as the only players in school history to be spotlighted as OVC All-Freshman recipients. Surratt accounted for a 13-5 overall record and a 5-1 mark in OVC play while playing alongside two different partners (Ryan Rednour, Mott) this spring at No. 5. She won the first three decisions of her collegiate career and won nine of her final 10 matchups to complete the regular season.
Each of these six honorees will be in action tomorrow as UT Martin starts the 2025 OVC Championship at 3 p.m. CT against either No. 3 seed Morehead State or No. 6 seed Eastern Illinois in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Players Mentioned
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