Corbett, O’Mara Rake In AVCA Honor To Cap Awards Season
5/3/2025 12:00:00 PM | Beach Volleyball
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Seniors Kathryn Corbett and Nicole O'Mara slapped an emphatic cap on an historic season for the Mercer beach volleyball team on Saturday when the duo was crowned with the American Volleyball Coaches Association's (AVCA) distinguished Top Flight award.
The Top Flight program recognizes beach pairs who compete in at least 15 matches together at a specific flight and win at least 75 percent of their matches. This year, 88 pairs representing 45 schools — from all three NCAA divisions, NAIA, and Two-Year Colleges — earned Top Flight status.
Corbett/O'Mara were one of two Mercer pairs (Liv Diaz/Jordan Paddock) named to the All-Sun Belt Conference squad last month after posting a program superlative 28 victories, including 23 triumphs in straight sets. The tandem produced a trio of win streaks of five or more matches across the spring, including 11-straight victories following a tough season-opening setback to 20th-ranked Stetson. The duo also tallied a pair of wins over nationally-ranked foes, highlighted by a three-set ouster of then-No. 18 Georgia State's pair at the Sun Belt Mid-Year Weekend.
Led by an 8-athlete strong senior class, Mercer won in bunches over the course of the 2025 campaign on the way to a 24-13 clip – the most victories in the 14-year history of the program. The Bears won 10 of their first 12 outings – including a 7-match win streak that bridged February and March – and then closed out the regular season by capturing seven of their last nine matchups.
The notable victories were plentiful as well. MU knocked off both Cal State Northridge and Cal State Bakersfield on March 5 to tally the first wins over California schools in school history, while also turning in a dominant 4-1 triumph over Louisiana Monroe in their Sun Belt Conference Tournament opener. Seven of Mercer's 11 setbacks on the season came in the form of 3-2 nailbiters, including two narrow defeats to nationally-ranked North Florida.
The individual accolades were highlighted by Corbett/O'Mara and Diaz/Paddock gaining all-conference honors – the first all-league recognition for the club in eight years – but the Bears hauled in weekly competition on two occasions as well. Diaz and Jordan Paddock picked up Sun Belt Conference Pair of the Week laurels on March 12 following a perfect run on the Southern California sand, while Sydney Benson and Kate Hardie were presented with the same weekly honor in early April.
Corbett and Diaz were also selected to compete in the AVCA Beach National Championships in November.
Seven players established the program's 50-Win Club amid the historic season, including Corbett who wrapped up her collegiate career as Mercer's all-time wins leader (69). O'Mara (67), Benson (57), Reese Hood (61), Jordan Paddock (59), Lexi Polychrones (52) and Hardie (50) also added their names to the role of the distinguished club.
The Top Flight program recognizes beach pairs who compete in at least 15 matches together at a specific flight and win at least 75 percent of their matches. This year, 88 pairs representing 45 schools — from all three NCAA divisions, NAIA, and Two-Year Colleges — earned Top Flight status.
Corbett/O'Mara were one of two Mercer pairs (Liv Diaz/Jordan Paddock) named to the All-Sun Belt Conference squad last month after posting a program superlative 28 victories, including 23 triumphs in straight sets. The tandem produced a trio of win streaks of five or more matches across the spring, including 11-straight victories following a tough season-opening setback to 20th-ranked Stetson. The duo also tallied a pair of wins over nationally-ranked foes, highlighted by a three-set ouster of then-No. 18 Georgia State's pair at the Sun Belt Mid-Year Weekend.
Led by an 8-athlete strong senior class, Mercer won in bunches over the course of the 2025 campaign on the way to a 24-13 clip – the most victories in the 14-year history of the program. The Bears won 10 of their first 12 outings – including a 7-match win streak that bridged February and March – and then closed out the regular season by capturing seven of their last nine matchups.
The notable victories were plentiful as well. MU knocked off both Cal State Northridge and Cal State Bakersfield on March 5 to tally the first wins over California schools in school history, while also turning in a dominant 4-1 triumph over Louisiana Monroe in their Sun Belt Conference Tournament opener. Seven of Mercer's 11 setbacks on the season came in the form of 3-2 nailbiters, including two narrow defeats to nationally-ranked North Florida.
The individual accolades were highlighted by Corbett/O'Mara and Diaz/Paddock gaining all-conference honors – the first all-league recognition for the club in eight years – but the Bears hauled in weekly competition on two occasions as well. Diaz and Jordan Paddock picked up Sun Belt Conference Pair of the Week laurels on March 12 following a perfect run on the Southern California sand, while Sydney Benson and Kate Hardie were presented with the same weekly honor in early April.
Corbett and Diaz were also selected to compete in the AVCA Beach National Championships in November.
Seven players established the program's 50-Win Club amid the historic season, including Corbett who wrapped up her collegiate career as Mercer's all-time wins leader (69). O'Mara (67), Benson (57), Reese Hood (61), Jordan Paddock (59), Lexi Polychrones (52) and Hardie (50) also added their names to the role of the distinguished club.
Players Mentioned
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