LH’s Gaston earns All-Conference Honors; Kraft named PSAC East Coach of the Year

LOCK HAVEN, PA – Lock Haven volleyball head coach Mike Kraft was voted Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Coach of the Year and junior-setter Kelly Gaston (Centennial, Colo./Grandview) was named to the All-PSAC Second Team, the conference office announced on Thursday.

Gaston, who becomes the first Lock Haven women’s volleyball athlete to earn all-conference since 2018, was named to the All-PSAC Second Team after her standout season as the Bald Eagles’ setter.

Gaston was named PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Week on October 9 after leading the Bald Eagles to a 2-0 week. The junior led the offense with 39 assists in a win over Millersville, before dishing out a season-high 47 assists against West Chester.

Gaston finished seventh in the conference with 732 assists and 8.41 assists per set. Gaston finished with 40 or more kills seven times, including a season-high 47 in a victory over West Chester.

In just his first season, Kraft becomes the program’s first PSAC East Coach of the Year since 2010, after orchestrating the Bald Eagles to a 10-win overall increase and four-win improvement in the PSAC East.

The Bald Eagles secured their first berth to the PSAC Eastern Division postseason since 2015, after securing the No. 4 seed during the last week of the regular season. The Bald Eagles’ dream season ended on Tuesday, as they traveled to top-seeded Shippensburg.

The Bald Eagles reached double-digit victories for the first time since 2018, while reaching the postseason for the first time since 2015.
Lock Haven also finished with five sweeps over opponents this season, after finishing with none in 2022.