The No. 6 nationally ranked Park University women's volleyball program made a statement with three 2023 AVCA NAIA Midwest First Team All-Region members in Debora Bernardi, Arianna Marino, and Grecia Ung. The Pirates' setter was elevated to 2023 AVCA NAIA Midwest Region Freshman of the Year, while Mateus Martins was selected as the 2023 AVCA NAIA Midwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year.

Park now has 34 Midwest All-Region recipients in school history with another 10 all-region honorable mention awards as well.
 
Midwest Region Freshman of the Year
 
Marino has played a pivotal role in her collegiate debut with 1,169 assists for an average of 10.44 assists per set in 2023. The special talent from Pinerolo, Italy has contributed to Park's 13.34 kills per set and .234 hitting percentage. Besides being freshman of the year, she also claims a spot on the Midwest first team All-Region squad. Just earlier this month, Marino also garnered Heart of America Athletic Conference Honors as the Freshman of the Year and Setter of the Year.


 
Midwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year
 
Mateus Martins in his third season on staff on the Park women's volleyball program and has been involved in three stops to Sioux City, Iowa for the NAIA Women's Volleyball National Championship Tournament. He has been named the 2023 AVCA NAIA Midwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year as Park has earned a 32-2 record and Heart regular season and tournament titles. Besides this most recent honor, he also was named the 2023 Heart Assistant Coach of the Year along with the Heart Coach of the Year Michael Talamantes.


 
Midwest First Team All-Region
 
Park had three first team recipients last year and returning to receive this honor is Bernardi. This is the third time she has been named a Midwest First Team All-Region member. In 2023 she notched her 1,000^th kill in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship match and has put up 273 kills for an average of 2.46 kills per set this season. She has been a problem spot for most opposing offenses with 112 total blocks on 24 solo blocks and 88 block assists.
 
Ung may be new to Park, but she is no stranger to AVCA NAIA All-Region honors. Before coming to Park, Ung earned Northwest First Team All-Region in 2022 with Lewis and Clark State and an honorable mention award for the Northwest region in 2021. Ung has fit right in with 3.17 kills per set and has led the Pirates with 349 kills. She is sharp defensively too with 327 digs or 2.97 digs per set. Off the serve, she is as dynamic as they come with 63 service aces this season.
 
To view the full list of AVCA NAIA All-Region award winners, please click here.