Miles outside hitter Karea Copeland had a dominant first campaign with the Lady Bears volleyball team and her performance has earned her multiple awards from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Copeland, a freshman from Newnan, Ga., was named SIAC Freshman of the Year and First Team All-SIAC on Wednesday by vote of the league's head volleyball coaches. She was the only Lady Bear to make either of the two teams and the only freshman to make to all-conference squads.

A year after Miles won just five matches, Copeland led a contingent of new - mostly young - players to a 13-win improvement in the standings and a berth in the SIAC Volleyball Championships, which commence tomorrow. She was named SIAC Offensive Player of the Week four times this season and SIAC Newcomer of the Week three times. Twice, she won those awards in the same week.

Overall, Copeland enters the SIAC Tournament hitting .241 with 485 kills, 49 service aces, 37 assists, 307 digs and 24 blocks (one solo) while amassing 546.5 points. She currently leads the conference in total kills and points while currently second in kills per set (4.01) and points per set (4.52). She announced her presence with a 14-kill, 14-dig performance in her first match against Oakwood. She added six matches with at least 20 kills, including a 26-kill outing against Stillman and three 23-kill performances against Savannah State, Lane and Tuskegee. She also has 16 double-doubles thus far.

Along with her SIAC ranks, Copeland is currently tied for 21st in Division II in kills per set and is second in the nation in total kills. Among freshmen, she is tops in the nation in kills and third in kills per set. She is fourth in the nation (and the top freshman) in total attacks (1,278) and is tied for 23rd (and the third best freshman) in points per set.