Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Florida Atlantic Headlines CUSA Postseason Awards
5/1/2025 2:01:00 PM | Women's Beach Volleyball
IRVING, Texas – The No. 15-ranked Florida Atlantic beach volleyball team was well-represented in the 2025 Conference USA postseason awards, receiving six postseason accolades, including CUSA Coach of the Year, CUSA Pair of the Year, five CUSA First Team All-Conference honorees, and two CUSA All-Freshman Team honorees, announced by the league office on Thursday.
CUSA Coach of the Year: Steve Grotowski
CUSA Pair of the Year: Ashleigh Adams
CUSA All-Conference First Team: Ashleigh Adams, Julie Honzovicova, Kate McLaughlin, Kendall Mignerey, and Marketa Svozilova
CUSA All-Freshman Team: Mia Scanlon and Shantel Starling
Head Coach Steve Grotowski was named the CUSA Coach of the Year. Grotowski led Florida Atlantic to a 21-14 record this season, tying for the second-best season record and fourth 20-win season in program history. Grotowski led the Sandy Owls to a perfect 4-0 record during the CUSA Championship, securing the program's third all-time conference championship and second CUSA championship in program history. He also led the Sandy Owls to four ranked wins on the season, with victories over No. 14 Washington, No. 17 FIU, and twice against No. 13 and No. 20 Georgia State.
Ashleigh Adams and Marketa Svozilova were named CUSA Pair of the Year, in addition to earning CUSA First Team All-Conference honors. The duo has had a historic campaign, tying the program record for single-season pair wins with a 25-5 record this season, earning all of their wins on court one. Adams and Svozilova opened the season with a program-record-breaking 13-1 start, including a perfect 9-0 season-opening winning streak. The pair was named CUSA Pair of the Week a league-record four consecutive times (Feb. 25, March 4, March 11, March 18). At the CUSA championship, the duo was perfect, going 4-0 with three-straight set wins at the No. 1 position against No. 9 seed Jacksonville State and twice against No. 2 seed Tulane, while also defeating No. 4 UAB's top pair in three sets. Adams and Svozilova earned ranked wins this season against No. 3 & No. 4 TCU, which includes a win over TCU's 2024 Paris Olympian pair of Daniela Alvarez and Tania Moreno, as well as No. 7 Florida State, No. 10 LSU, No. 13 Texas, No. 13 & No. 20 Georgia State, No. 14 Washington, and defeated No. 17 FIU twice.
Julie Honzovicova was named CUSA First Team All-Conference. Honzovicova tied her career-best with a 24-11 record, including a season-best 22-10 record on court two and a 2-1 record on court one. She holds a pair record of 13-2 with Kate McLaughlin. Honzovicova swept the CUSA Championship, earning four straight-set sweeps on court two against No. 9 seed Jacksonville, No. 4 seed UAB, and twice against No. 2 seed Tulane. She earned CUSA Pair of the Week honors after going a perfect 4-0 at the NOLA Classic. Honzovicova earned ranked wins this season against No. 10 LSU, No. 13 & No. 20 Georgia State, No. 16 Stetson, and defeated No. 17 FIU twice.
McLaughlin was also named CUSA First Team All-Conference after a career-best 24-11 record, including a season-high 13-3 record on court two and an 11-8 record on court three. McLaughlin also holds a pair record of 11-9 with Kendall Mignerey. McLaughlin earned CUSA Pair of the Week on April 22 after going 4-0 at the NOLA Classic. At the CUSA Championship, McLaughlin earned four straight-set sweeps on court two against No. 9 seed Jacksonville State, No. 4 seed UAB, and twice against No. 2 seed Tulane. She also earned ranked wins against No. 7 Florida State, No. 10 LSU, No. 14 Washington, No. 17 FIU, and No. 20 Georgia State.
Mignerey rounds out the Sandy Owls' five CUSA First Team All-Conference honorees. She boasts an 18-16 record, ranking fifth on the team. Mignerey has recorded a season-best 11-8 record on court three, in addition to going 6-4 on court five, and winning a match on court four. Mignerey also holds a 3-2 pair record with current partner Shantel Starling, including finishing 2-1 during the CUSA Championship and securing the championship-clinching win on court five against No. 2 seed Tulane. Mignerey has earned ranked wins against No. 7 Florida State, No. 8 Texas, No. 14 Washington, No. 17 FIU, and No. 20 Georgia State this season.
Starling was named to the CUSA All-Freshman Team. Starling produced an 11-12 overall record this season, including a season-best 7-5 record on court five. She also earned a pair of ranked wins this season against No. 4 USC and No. 14 Washington.
Mia Scanlon was also named to the CUSA All-Freshman Team. Mia Scanlon is 5-7 this season, including a season-best 4-5 record on court three, in addition to going 1-0 at the No. 1 position. This season, Scanlon earned a ranked win against No. 16 Stetson.
CUSA Coach of the Year: Steve Grotowski
CUSA Pair of the Year: Ashleigh Adams
CUSA All-Conference First Team: Ashleigh Adams, Julie Honzovicova, Kate McLaughlin, Kendall Mignerey, and Marketa Svozilova
CUSA All-Freshman Team: Mia Scanlon and Shantel Starling
Head Coach Steve Grotowski was named the CUSA Coach of the Year. Grotowski led Florida Atlantic to a 21-14 record this season, tying for the second-best season record and fourth 20-win season in program history. Grotowski led the Sandy Owls to a perfect 4-0 record during the CUSA Championship, securing the program's third all-time conference championship and second CUSA championship in program history. He also led the Sandy Owls to four ranked wins on the season, with victories over No. 14 Washington, No. 17 FIU, and twice against No. 13 and No. 20 Georgia State.
Ashleigh Adams and Marketa Svozilova were named CUSA Pair of the Year, in addition to earning CUSA First Team All-Conference honors. The duo has had a historic campaign, tying the program record for single-season pair wins with a 25-5 record this season, earning all of their wins on court one. Adams and Svozilova opened the season with a program-record-breaking 13-1 start, including a perfect 9-0 season-opening winning streak. The pair was named CUSA Pair of the Week a league-record four consecutive times (Feb. 25, March 4, March 11, March 18). At the CUSA championship, the duo was perfect, going 4-0 with three-straight set wins at the No. 1 position against No. 9 seed Jacksonville State and twice against No. 2 seed Tulane, while also defeating No. 4 UAB's top pair in three sets. Adams and Svozilova earned ranked wins this season against No. 3 & No. 4 TCU, which includes a win over TCU's 2024 Paris Olympian pair of Daniela Alvarez and Tania Moreno, as well as No. 7 Florida State, No. 10 LSU, No. 13 Texas, No. 13 & No. 20 Georgia State, No. 14 Washington, and defeated No. 17 FIU twice.
Julie Honzovicova was named CUSA First Team All-Conference. Honzovicova tied her career-best with a 24-11 record, including a season-best 22-10 record on court two and a 2-1 record on court one. She holds a pair record of 13-2 with Kate McLaughlin. Honzovicova swept the CUSA Championship, earning four straight-set sweeps on court two against No. 9 seed Jacksonville, No. 4 seed UAB, and twice against No. 2 seed Tulane. She earned CUSA Pair of the Week honors after going a perfect 4-0 at the NOLA Classic. Honzovicova earned ranked wins this season against No. 10 LSU, No. 13 & No. 20 Georgia State, No. 16 Stetson, and defeated No. 17 FIU twice.
McLaughlin was also named CUSA First Team All-Conference after a career-best 24-11 record, including a season-high 13-3 record on court two and an 11-8 record on court three. McLaughlin also holds a pair record of 11-9 with Kendall Mignerey. McLaughlin earned CUSA Pair of the Week on April 22 after going 4-0 at the NOLA Classic. At the CUSA Championship, McLaughlin earned four straight-set sweeps on court two against No. 9 seed Jacksonville State, No. 4 seed UAB, and twice against No. 2 seed Tulane. She also earned ranked wins against No. 7 Florida State, No. 10 LSU, No. 14 Washington, No. 17 FIU, and No. 20 Georgia State.
Mignerey rounds out the Sandy Owls' five CUSA First Team All-Conference honorees. She boasts an 18-16 record, ranking fifth on the team. Mignerey has recorded a season-best 11-8 record on court three, in addition to going 6-4 on court five, and winning a match on court four. Mignerey also holds a 3-2 pair record with current partner Shantel Starling, including finishing 2-1 during the CUSA Championship and securing the championship-clinching win on court five against No. 2 seed Tulane. Mignerey has earned ranked wins against No. 7 Florida State, No. 8 Texas, No. 14 Washington, No. 17 FIU, and No. 20 Georgia State this season.
Starling was named to the CUSA All-Freshman Team. Starling produced an 11-12 overall record this season, including a season-best 7-5 record on court five. She also earned a pair of ranked wins this season against No. 4 USC and No. 14 Washington.
Mia Scanlon was also named to the CUSA All-Freshman Team. Mia Scanlon is 5-7 this season, including a season-best 4-5 record on court three, in addition to going 1-0 at the No. 1 position. This season, Scanlon earned a ranked win against No. 16 Stetson.
UP NEXT
Florida Atlantic opens play in the 2025 NCAA Beach Volleyball Championships on Friday, May 2, as the No. 13 seed Sandy Owls will face off against No. 4 seed LMU for a 9 a.m. ET first serve in Gulf Shores, Alabama.FOLLOW THE SANDY OWLS
For updates, follow @FAUBeachVB on X and Instagram, or like FAU Beach Volleyball on Facebook.Players Mentioned
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