Highlights and reaction after the match between Army and Lafayette.
Kovaci on Mankus: Firey player with a passion and intesity that is unmatched ... unstoppable when playing at her best ... hit as the top outside hitter during the spring ... see her on the court and contributing at all times.
Notable: Two-time All-Patriot League performer ... 2009 Patriot League Player of the Year ... 2009 Patriot League Rookie of the Year ... 2009 College Volleyball Update National Freshman of the Year ... 2009 Patriot League All-Tournament Team.
2010: Second team All-Patriot League honoree ... led the team and finished fourth in the Patriot League averaging 3.21 kills per set ... 1,019 attempts were 414 more than any other Army player ... started all but four matches and played in 106 sets ... 3.01 digs per set landed second on the team to libero Brittany Jensen (West Point '11) ... paced Army with 30 service aces and added 29 total blocks ... reached double-figure kills in 20 matches and eclipsed the 20-kill mark three times ... amassed a career-high 27 kills in Army's 3-2 loss to host George Mason (Sept. 3) during the team's second tournament ... added a career-high 29 digs in what ended up being statistically one of her top matches of a decorated young career ... represented Army on the George Mason Patriot Invitational All-Tournament team ... named the West Point Challenge Most Valuable Player the following weekend (Sept. 17 and 19) ... totaled 13 double-doubles (kills, digs) on the year and reached double figures in digs 16 times ... averaged 3.17 digs per set during Patriot League play to rank 10th among conference leaders ... two-time Patriot League Player of the Week (Sept. 13 and Oct. 18).
2009: First player in Patriot League volleyball history to earn Player and Rookie of the Year in the same season ... Patriot League All-Tournament Team ... five-time Patriot League Rookie of the Week ... Patriot League Player of the Week once ... all-tournament team honors at the Army Invitational (Aug. 28-29), Delaware Invitational (Sept. 4-5) and West Point Challenge (Sept. 18 & 20) ... conference leader in kills (3.67 per set) and ranks sixth in both hitting percentage (.294) and service aces (0.30) ... led Army in kills 17 times this season and registered 12 double-doubles (kills, digs), including each of the final four matches of the season ... registered 138 more kills than any other player on the roster, while also taking 242 more swings than any other Army hitter ... surpassed the 20-kill mark in six matches this season, including a career-high 26 in a win over American (Oct. 16) ... as a primary passer, led the team in reception percentage (.961) ... ranked seventh in Academy history for single-season kills/set (3.67) ... registered 18 kills, zero errors in 36 attempts to hit .500 in the Patriot League title match against eight-time defending champion American (Nov. 22), keying Army in a 3-0 win to clinch Army's trip to the NCAA Tournament ... one of two players with double-figure kills (11) in the Black Knights' 3-1 loss to Pennsylvania in the opening round ... added a career-high 24 digs in the effort ... 332 digs on the year led the Black Knights.
Background: Comes to West Point from powerhouse Benet Academy, which ranked first in the state and fourth nationally in 2008-09 ... played under head coach Brad Baker ... led Benet to its first state title and later a trip to the national championship ... all-state and all-area selection for the Redwings ... served as captain ... averaged just under four kills per game as a senior ... played on the club volleyball circuit for Sports Performance ... highly regarded among the top club teams in the nation where she was named Most Valuable Player.
Personal: Ariana Christina Mankus ... daughter of Tony and Margarita Mankus ... born Sept. 7, 1990 in Downers Grove, Ill. ... youngest of four sisters ... major is Art, Philosophy and Literature.
