Link to GSC Release

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Union University senior volleyball player Meghan Delaney was named to the Gulf South Conference Top 10 list. She is among the top five females and top five males and is in the running for the GSC Commissioner's Trophy, given to the top female and top male athletes in the conference each June. 

Delaney becomes the fourth Union student-athlete to be named to the GSC Top 10 list. The three previous from Union to earn this prestigious honor include Amy Philamlee (women's basketball) 2014-15, Jacob Whitney (men's cross country) 2016-17, and Janey Berends (women's cross country) 2017-18. Delaney could be the first Union student-athlete to earn the Commissioner's Trophy. 

"Being named to the GSC Top Ten is such an incredible honor", Delaney said. "There are so many amazing athletes in the GSC, and the fact that I was chosen to be in the top ten of the whole conference is truly humbling. I am just so grateful for my teammates, coaches, professors, and the Union athletic community. Without them, I would not have been able to accomplish anything I did these last four years at Union." 

Delaney, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter from Aurora, Ill., finished off one of the most successful volleyball career's of any Union athlete since the school moved to NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference in 2012. Her career was cut short with an injury in the regular season that sidelined Delaney for the rest of the year. However, her start to the season propelled Union to finish the regular season as Co-Champions of the GSC Spring Sports Series Group A. 

Union head coach Darrin McClure said, "Being a student athlete and doing it well is not easy. It has not been easy for Meghan either. What is most impressive is how she has handled the rigorous academic standards or our nursing program, while still being excellent on the volleyball court. Honors like this are made for people like Meghan. Her impact on this program has been great and I am thankful to have coached her." During senior night, McClure honored Delaney by retiring her No. 10 jersey. 

In her career, Delaney was named to the GSC Honor Roll four times, was a GSC All-Academic Performer, earned numerous all-tournaments, and several player of the week awards from the Gulf South Conference and the Tennessee Sports Writers Association. Her best season came as a junior when she led Union to a No. 3 seed in the GSC Tournament, Union's first ever volleyball appearance in the GSC Tournament. Union finished third in the tournament, earning its first ever GSC Tournament victory along the way. That season, Delaney was named first team All-GSC, D2CCA and AVCA first team All-Region, CoSIDA Academic All-Region, AVCA and D2CCA All-America, and CoSIDA Academic All-America. She finished her junior year ranked No. 3 in all of NCAA D2 with 520 kills. 

In the summer following her junior year, Delaney was named to the GSC All-Decade team honorable mention (2010-19). Following her senior year, Delaney was named Union's Female Top Dawg Award winner and was named the JMCSHOF Union Female Athlete of the Year. She also walked away with Union University's Fred DeLay Award, given to the most outstanding athlete in the graduation class for excelling in athletics and academics. 

Delaney finished her career with 255 sets played, 71 matches, 849 kills, 67 aces, 681 digs, and 111 blocks. 

Off the court, Delaney was just as excellent. She posted a near perfect 3.946 GPA in Nursing, while playing a sport, in four years at Union. She was named to the President's List, worked in a nursing internship with Erlanger Hospital, a member of the Student Nurses Association and Sigma Nursing Honors Society. In her spare time, she volunteered at the Come-Unity Cafe, the Englewood Baptist Church Thanksgiving meal preparation team, and was a small group leader for high school students.  

The GSC Commissioner's Trophy will be announced June 10 via the GSC social media accounts and GSCsports.org. 

-UNION-