MARSHALL, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State University outside hitter Leah Jones was named All-Central Region by two organizations on Wednesday, earning American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) first team honors, while receiving Conference Commissioners Association (CCA) second team accolades.
 
The AVCA All-Region team is selected by head coaches, while the CCA team is voted on by members of the College Sports Communicators.
 
A junior from Marshall, Minn., Jones led SMSU with 401 kills, while hitting .263 on 1,087 attempts. She is the first Mustangs to reach 400 kills in a season since 2021, while also amassing 223 digs, 27 service aces and 34 total blocks in 28 matches.
 
Jones, who earned All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference first team honors last month, led the conference (NSIC matches only) with 306 kills, while ranking second in both kills per set (4.03) and points per set (4.53). She was also All-NSIC first team in 2023 and All-NSIC second team in 2024.
 
In the latest NCAA national statistics (Dec. 2), she ranks 29^th in total kills, 31^st in kills per set (3.89) and 37^th in points per set (4.35).
 
Jones was named the AVCA Central Region Freshman of the Year in 2023.
 
SMSU ended its season with a 21-7 overall record and ranked No. 13 in the AVCA Top 25 poll (Nov. 24). It was the program's fifth straight 20-plus win season 21st in the past 22 seasons.