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Three Volleyball Players Earn COBRA Magazine Preseason Honors
IRVING, Texas - Conference USA placed three of its top volleyball players on the 2011 COBRA Magazine All-Preseason Teams.
Juniors ALTRESE HAWKINS of Memphis and Tulsa's TYLER HENDERSON, as well as SMU senior DANA POWELL, were honored.
Henderson was also named to the COBRA Magazine Player of the Year watch list and joined Hawkins on the all-preseason first team, while Powell received third-team accolades.
Duke VB: Incoming Freshman Obeime Leads Munciana Samurai to AAU National Championship
ORLANDO, Fla. – Incoming Duke freshman Jeme Obeime led her Munciana Samurai 18-1 volleyball team to the AAU National Championship with a 25-23, 25-22 win over Sports Performance 18 Elite on Tuesday, June 21, at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex.
Obeime, a 5-11 outside hitter from Carmel, Ind., helped the Samurai capture their second AAU title in the past three years following a 2011 season in which her team went 66-3. During the 2009 national championship run, Obeime played alongside current Duke junior and All-ACC selection Christiana Gray.
One of four incoming freshmen for Duke in 2011, Obeime also earned All-America honors this summer. A product of Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, Obeime was a three-time all-state selection in high school and led Brebeuf to the 2009 Indiana State Championship. She averaged 4.0 kills on a .438 hitting percentage as a senior.
Along with Obeime, Duke will welcome 6-2 middle blocker and outside hitter Brittney Balser, 6-2 setter Maggie Deichmeister and 5-11 setter Kelsey Williams. Those four join a Duke team that went 27-7 last season, won the ACC Championship and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight.
Penn State Women’s Volleyball Player Blair Brown One of Three Finalists for Honda-Broderick Cup
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., June 22, 2011 – Penn State women’s volleyball opposite Blair Brown (Purcellville, Va.) has been voted one of three finalists for the Honda-Broderick Cup, given to theCollegiate Woman Athlete of the Year.
The “Top Three” finalists were chosen from previously announced Honda Sports Award winners in 12 different NCAA-sanctioned sports, by a vote from among more than 1,000 NCAA-member institutions. The Honda-Broderick Cup winner will be revealed at a special press conference on June 27th at Columbia University in New York.
“We are extremely proud of what Blair has accomplished during her time at Penn State,” said Director of Athletics Tim Curley. “Blair has earned a spot in the record books after guiding the Nittany Lion women’s volleyball program to an unprecedented four consecutive national championships. She is an excellent example of Success with Honor at Penn State. As a finalist for the Honda-Broderick Cup, we believe this establishes her as one of the top athletes in the country and are very proud of everything she has accomplished.”
The Penn State Female Athlete of the Year, Brown guided the Nittany Lions to anunprecedented fourth straight NCAA title in 2010. During her career, the women’s volleyball team won a record-breaking 109 consecutive matches, 65 straight Big Ten matches, 55 road matches in a row and never lost at home in Rec Hall. She closed out her career with a 140-7 record between 2007-10.
The Big Ten Player of the Year, the sixth straight for Penn State women’svolleyball, Brown finished her career with 1,295 kills to rank 14th all-time at Penn State. Brown was a finalist for the prestigious AAU Sullivan Award and was named the Female Athlete of the Month by the United State Sports Academy in January. A three-time All-Big Ten honoree, Brown earned Second Team laurels in 2008 and First Team accolades in 2009 and 2010. In her final season, Brown was a Unanimous Preseason All-Big Ten selection and earned conferenceplayer of the week honors three times.
In 2010 Brown started all 37 matches and led the Nittany Lions with 521 kills,averaging 4.24 kills per set on .320 hitting. She was second on the team with 281 digs (2.28 digs per set) and had 113 total blocks (0.92 blocks per set). Her 4.24 kills per set ranked second in the Big Ten and 21st nationally, while her .320 attack percentage was ninth in the league.
The other two finalists for the Honda-Broderick Cup are senior Maya Moore (Connecticut, Women’s Basketball) and senior Sheila Reed (Villanova, Cross Country, Track & Field). For more information on the three honorees, please visit http://www.collegiatewomensportsawards.com.
For more information on the Penn State women’s volleyball team, please visit GoPSUsports.com. The Penn State women’s volleyball 2011 season is presented by Rockvale Outlets and The Outlets at Hershey.
UCF’s Kristin Fisher Nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year Award
UCF’s nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) – The NCAA announced Friday that former volleyball player Kristin Fisher (Clearwater, Fla.) has been named UCF’s nominee for the 2011 NCAA Woman of the Year award, given annually to graduating student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.
Fisher graduated cum laude in the field of health sciences-pre clinical in May and plans to further her education as she pursues a career in the nursing field.
“We are very proud of the honor that Kristin has received as the UCF nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year,” head volleyball coach Todd Dagenais said. “She is so incredibly deserving of this recognition because she embodies everything that is still great about college athletics and what it truly means to be a student-athlete. She has overcome an unbelievable amount of adversity on the volleyball court and yet somehow found a way to be a top player in our program and a Conference USA honoree. Off the court she has shined in the classroom and in nursing school. She is a big inspiration for players in our program and she will be an even bigger inspiration to the patients she treats on a daily basis.”
As a senior, Fisher was named to the All-Conference USA Second Team after posting 495 kills on the season to rank 10th all-time on the UCF single-season register, while also ranking among the nation's best in kills per set and points per set. She became the Knights’ first C-USA Offensive Player of the Week on Nov. 29, while also being one of only three players all-time to be named to the C-USA All-Academic Team.
Away from the volleyball court, Fisher volunteered at the Florida Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care unit and has been a four-year volunteer at both the Central Florida Children's Home and the Clothes to Kids Organization.
Fisher also gave her time to the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, volunteered at National Girls and Women in Sports Day and was a member of the UCF Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Fisher was a four-time member of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll and a three-time C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal recipient, while earning the 2010 C-USA Spirit of Service Award and the UCF volleyball Scholar-Athlete Award in 2009.
The top 10 honorees in each division for the NCAA Woman of the Year award will be announced in August, and the field of 30 semifinalists will be narrowed to three in each division in September.
Finally, the top 10 honorees and nine finalists from Divisions I, II and III will be honored and the NCAA Woman of the Year winner announced at a dinner Oct. 16 in Indianapolis.
Penn State Volleyball Player Blair Brown Selected as ESPY Nominee
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., June 27, 2011 – Just days after being named one of three finalists for the Honda-Broderick Cup, Penn State women’s volleyball opposite BlairBrown (Purcellville, Va.) has been selected as one of five ESPY nominees for Best Female College Athlete. The 2011 ESPY Awards take place on Wednesday, July 13 live on ESPN (9 p.m.) at the Nokia Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
Fans will have the chance to select the winners by voting online or by mobile device at espn.com/espys or on the ESPN Facebook page: facebook.com/espn. Voting closes on July 9 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Dallas Escobedo (Arizona State softball), Melissa Henderson (Notre Dame soccer), Katinka Hosszu (USC swimming) and Maya Moore (Connecticut basketball) are the other nominees.
The Penn State Female Athlete of the Year, Brown guided the Nittany Lions to an unprecedented fourth straight NCAA title in 2010. During her career, the women's volleyball team won a record-breaking 109 consecutive matches, 65 straight Big Ten matches, 55 road matches in a row and never lost at home in Rec Hall. She closed out her career with a 140-7 record between 2007-10.
The Big Ten Player of the Year, the sixth straight for Penn State women's volleyball, Brown finished her career with 1,295 kills to rank 14th all-time at Penn State. Brown was a finalist for the prestigious AAU Sullivan Award and was named the Female Athlete of the Month by the United State Sports Academy inJanuary. A three-time All-Big Ten honoree, Brown earned Second Team laurels in 2008 and First Team accolades in 2009 and 2010. In her final season, Brown was a Unanimous Preseason All-Big Ten selection and earned conference player of the week honors three times.
In 2010 Brown started all 37 matches and led the Nittany Lions with 521 kills, averaging 4.24 kills per set on .320 hitting. She wassecond on the team with 281 digs (2.28 digs per set) and had 113 total blocks (0.92 blocks per set). Her 4.24 kills per set ranked second in the Big Ten and 21st nationally, while her .320 attack percentage was ninth in the league.
The ESPYs and related events benefit the V Foundation for Cancer Research in memory of the late Jim Valvano.
For more information on the Penn State women's volleyball team, please visit GoPSUsports.com. The Penn Statewomen's volleyball 2011 season is presented by Rockvale Outlets and The Outlets at Hershey.
Battle, Brown Named Penn State Athletes of the Year
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., June 16, 2011 – Former Nittany Lions Talor Battle (Albany, N.Y.) and Blair Brown (Purcellville, Va.) have been selected as the 2011 Penn State Athletes of the Year. Battle, an Associate Press honorable-mention All-American, became Penn State’s all-time leading scorer, while Brown, a three-time AVCA All-American, led the women’s volleyball team to fourconsecutive national championships.
Battle and Brown are now, respectively, eligible for the Big Ten’s Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year Award and Suzy Favor Female Athlete of the Year Award.
Battle led Penn State to its first-ever Big Ten Tournament championship game and its first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade during a senior season in which he finished second in the Big Ten in scoring (20.2 ppg) and became Penn State's all-time career scoring leader, posting 2,213 points to surpass the 56-year old mark set by All-American Jesse Arnelle in 1955 and rank 10th all-time in Big Ten Conference history.
A Big Ten Tournament All-Tournament team selection after posting 25 points in a semi-final win over Michigan State and 24 in the final vs. No. 1 ranked Ohio State, Battle became the first Lion to earn first-team All-Big Ten, NABC All-District and USBWA All-District honors in multiple seasons; the first since 1996 and just the sixth-ever to earn All-American recognition (AP - honorable-mention); the first to earn team MVP honors in four seasons; and just the second to lead the team in scoring in four seasons. Battle's 687 points and 106 threes on the year both ranked as the second-best season marks in Penn State history. He led the Big Ten hitting 3.12 threes per game and playing 38.06 minutes per contest and played all 40 minutes in nine of Penn State’s last 10 games of the year and the final six straight as the Lions made a run to the NCAAs.
Battle’s scoring average stands as the highest by a Lion in 48 years. He posted 18 games of 20 points or more and three outings of 30 or more on the year. Battle led the Big Ten with nine games of 25 points or more and became the first Big Ten player ever and just the fourth in NCAA Division I history to post at least2,000 points, 600 rebounds and 500 assists on a career. Battle finished his Penn State career ranking second in career threes (317), third in assists (517),seventh in steals (145) and an amazing 14th in rebounding (625) in Penn State history while becoming the program's all-time leader in starts (131) and the Big Ten's all-time leader in career minutes played (4,799).
The 2010 Honda Award winner for women’s volleyball, Brown finished her Penn State career helping the program to its fourth straight NCAA Championship. During her career, the Nittany Lions won a record-breaking 109 consecutive matches, 65straight Big Ten matches, 55 road matches in a row and never lost on their home court at Rec Hall. She owns a career record of 140-7 between 2007-10.
The 2010 Big Ten Player of the Year, the sixth consecutive for Penn State women’s volleyball, Brown finished her career with 1,295 kills to rank 14th all-time at Penn State. Brown was a finalist for the AAU Sullivan Award and was named the Female Athlete of the Month by the United State Sports Academy inJanuary. A three-time All-Big Ten selection, Brown earned Second Team laurels in 2008 and First Team honors in 2009 and 2010. In her final season, Brown was a Unanimous Preseason All-Big Ten pick and earned conference player of the week accolades three times.
Brown started all 37 matches in 2010 and led the Nittany Lions with 521 kills, averaging 4.24 kills per set on .320 hitting. She was second on the tea with 281 digs (2.28 digs per set) and 113 total blocks (0.92 blocks per set). Her 4.24 kills per set ranked second in the Big Ten and 21st nationally, while her .320 attacker percentage was ninth in the league. In addition, Brown’s 4.72 points per set ranked 18th in the nation.
Penn State won two NCAA Championshipsand three Big Ten crowns in 2010-11. Penn State has won 10 NCAA Championships since March 2007, the most of any school in the nation. Penn State was No. 3 in the latest Learfield Sports Directors' Cup standings.
The Big Ten Conference has recognizeda Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year since 1982 when Indiana's Jim Spiveyearned the inaugural award. The following year, a women's award was created. In 1991-92 as part of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of women's athletics in the Conference, the women's award was renamed in honor of former Wisconsin track standout and three-time recipient Suzy Favor.
LSU Volleyball's Bensend Tabbed to CVU's Stellar Spikers List
BATON ROUGE – LSU outside hitter Angela Bensend picked up CVU’s Stellar Spikers Honorable Mention accolades. The award recognizes players that exhibited excellence, balance and impacted their team on the floor.
Bensend, an All-SEC and All-Louisiana First-Team selection, belted a team-high 383 kills. Her 3.68 kills per set average ranked third in the SEC. She provided 10 or more kills 22 times, and garnered nine doubles-doubles last season en route to Louisiana Player of the Year honors.
LSU compiled a 25-5 record en route to its sixth straight SEC Western Division title last season. The Tigers also are one of only 18 programs nationally to qualify for the last six NCAA Tournaments dating back to the 2005 season.
CVU.com Honors Iowa State Volleyball Players Victoria Henson and Jamie Straube
AMES, Iowa – Iowa State volleyball student-athletes Victoria Henson and Jamie Straube have been named honorable mentions on Collegiate Volleyball Update’s Stellar Spiker Teams for the 2010 season, CVU.com has announced.
Henson, a senior outside hitter in 2010, led the Cyclones and the Big 12 with 4.50 kills per set. Henson finished her career at Iowa State holding school-records with 1,726 kills and 3.90 kills per set. The Leavenworth, Kan. native recorded 103 matches with 10 or more kills and 16 matches with at least 20 kills. Against Creighton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season, Henson posted 26 kills and 21 digs. Henson posted 473 kills and 302 digs as a senior, the second-straight season she collected over 400 kills and 300 digs.
Straube finished her second year in a Cyclone uniform leading the team in hitting with a .326 average and 1.05 blocks per set, ranked sixth and eighth in the Big 12, respectively. In two seasons at Iowa State, Straube has smashed 459 kills, blocked 207 attacks and grabbed 113 digs.
Awards rolled in for both players in 2010 including Henson’s selection to the AVCA All-America First Team, her second all-America honor, and Straube’s first selection as she was named an all-America honorable mention. The teammates were also selected to the All-Big 12 First Team. Straube earned recognition for her classroom work, earning a place on the ESPN Academic All-District VII team and Academic All-Big 12 First Team.
The CVU.com nod, which recognizes student-athletes who exhibited excellence and balance on the court, is Henson’s third. She was named to the Stellar Spiker Second Team in 2009 and was a 2009 CVU.com National Player of the week, also in 2009. This is Straube’s first CVU.com honor.
The complete list of CVU.com’s Stellar Spiker Teams can be found here.
Straube and the Cyclones kick off the spring volleyball season this Saturday, hosting their spring tournament at the West Towne Courts against team from Wayne State, Northern Iowa and Minnesota.
Every year the AVCA which stands for the American Volleyball Coaches Association votes on the female volleyball players that they believe should be selected to their All-American teams.
Chosen by the nine-member AVCA Division I All-America Committee headed by Dayton head volleyball coach Kelly Sheffield, three All American teams are named, each with fourteen female volleyball players named to them.
Additionally there is a Freshman Player of the Year and a National Female Volleyball Player of the Year named as well.
Below is the list of female volleyball players chosen in 2010.
2010 AVCA Division I First-Team All-America
Rachael Adams
The University of Texas
Middle Blocker, Junior, 6'2 Cincinnati, Ohio
Ashley Benson
Indiana University
Middle Blocker Sr. 6'3 Bloomington, Indiana
Blair Brown
Penn State University
Right Side/Opposite, Senior, 6'5 Purcellville, Virginia
Kanani Danielson
University of Hawai'i
Outside Hitter, Junior, 5'10 Ewa Beach, Hawai'i
Brooke Delano
University of Nebraska
Middle Blocker, Junior, 6'4 Bellevue, Nebraska
Juliann Faucette
The University of Texas
Outside Hitter, Senior, 6'2, San Diego, California
Victoria Henson
Iowa State University
Outside Hitter, Senior, 5'11 Leavenworth, Kansas
Alex Jupiter
Univ. of Southern California
Outside Hitter, Junior, 6'3 Paris, France
Alix Klineman
Stanford University
Outside Hitter, Senior, 6'4 Manhattan Beach, California
Cassidy Lichtman
Stanford University
Setter/Outside Hitter Sr. 6'1 Poway, California
Carli Lloyd
University of California
Setter Sr. 5'11 Bonsall, California
Kelly Murphy
University of Florida
Setter/Outside Hitter Jr. 6'2 Wilmington, Illinois
Tarah Murrey
University of California
Outside Hitter Jr. 6'3 El Cerrito, California
Arielle Wilson
Penn State University
Middle Blocker Sr. 6'3 Broadview, Illinois
2010 Division I AVCA Freshman of the Year: Deja McClendon, Penn State, Outside Hitter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nezuss-eDfw
2010 Division I AVCA Player of the Year: Carli Lloyd, Cal Berekeley, Setter
2010 AVCA Division I Second-Team All-American
Kendall Bateman
Univ. of Southern California
Setter, Junior, 5'11, Manhattan Beach, California
Kindra Carlson
University of Washington
Right Side/Opposite, Senior, 6'1 Eaton, Colorado
Lindsay Fletemier
University of Dayton
Middle Blocker, Senior, 6'6, Garden City, Michigan
Tyler Henderson
University of Tulsa
Outside Hitter, Sophomore, 5'10, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Brittany Hewitt
University of Hawai'i
Middle Blocker, Sophomore, 6'3, Eagle, Idaho
Lindsey Licht
University of Nebraska
Right Side/Opposite, Senior, 6'5, Aurora, Colorado
Arkansas State Volleyball Libero Megan Baska Named CVU Rising Star
JONESBORO, Ark. (2/18/11) – Arkansas State freshman libero Megan Baska was named one of just 18 Rising Stars for the freshman class of 2010 by Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU.com), the website announced Friday.
Baska earned All-Sun Belt Conference second team honors following the 2010 season and was chosen as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. She ended the season as the SBC Defensive Player of the Week, landing the honor four other times throughout the year. She was also selected as a CVU Top Performer of the Week.
The true freshman totaled 564 digs this season to rank seventh on the ASU single-season digs chart and led the league with a 5.08 digs per set average, which ranked 37th nationally. She also added 70 assists and 18 service aces on the year.
WKU’s Melanie Stutsman was the only other SBC player to receive the Rising Star honor, and Northern Illinois' Lauren Wicinski was named the 2010 CVU.com Freshman of the Year.
To be considered as a CVU.com Rising Star, a student-athlete must have played in 50 percent or more of her team's overall games. The selections were made based upon individual performance, contributions to the team and potential future impact.
Northern Illinois Freshman Outside Hitter LaurenWicinski Garners CVU.com Freshman of the Year Honor
National collegiate volleyball website tabs Wicinski as nation’s top 2010 freshman
DeKALB, Ill. - Northern Illinois freshman outside hitter Lauren Wicinski was named 2010 CVU.com Freshman of the Year by Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU), the organization announced Friday.
The latest honor for the Geneva, Ill. (Geneva H.S.) native is another first for the NIU volleyball program. Wicinski arrived on campus as the program's first high school All-American, became the first freshman to earn AVCA All-American status and is the only Mid-American Conference player to win the league’s Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year awards in the same season.
“This award, along with the other prestigious honors she has received this year, is the result of the team’s fantastic season,” said NIU head coach Ray Gooden. “She couldn’t be in this position without her teammates. She has helped the program reach a national level and for her to be recognized as the Freshman of the Year is outstanding. It’s another accomplishment from a really positive 2010 campaign.”
The criteria CVU’s award are based on players who played in 50 percent or more of their team's matches with the decision being made using individual performance, contributions to the team and players who look to have the potential to make a future impact.
Wicinski led the Huskies to their best MAC finish (second place) since 2001 and put together an extraordinary season in doing so. Along with previously mentioned accolades, she was a First Team All-MAC and MAC All-Tournament selection. Additionally, she collected three all-invitational selections, including being chosen MVP of the Illinois-Chicago Invitational, and five MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week accolades, an NIU career record.
The rookie’s statistics were prominent among the MAC and NCAA all year. Wicinski led the nation's freshmen and the MAC in points (5.63), kills (4.82) and aces (0.54); ranked with the nation's leaders in points (fifth), kills (sixth) and aces (10th); her kill (636) and ace (71) totals rank second and fourth, respectively, on the NCAA's all-time single season 25-point set lists, third and second on NIU's all-time single season lists, and fifth and 10th on the MAC's all-time single season lists; she scored double figures in points in all 35 matches and tallied double figure kills in the last 34 matches; served up multiple aces on 17 occasions; totaled 16 kill-dig double-doubles; and notched multiple blocks in 16 matches.
With the marvelous freshman campaign, Wicinski is continuing her family's Huskie legacy. Her mother, Gina (Graf), was a standout on the court from 1983-87 and ranks in NIU's top-15 in aces, kills, points, solo blocks and digs. Her father, Rob, was an outstanding linebacker on the football team from 1981-85 and was a key performer on the NIU 1983 California Bowl championship team.
-NIU-
For more information, contact Zach Peters, NIU Athletics Media Relations, at 815-753-9572 (office) or 815-508-3375 (cell). Visit our website to keep up with all the latest news, statistics, and information on Northern Illinois Sports and read “Huskie Happenings” daily on www.niuhuskies.com.
LSU Volleyball's Middle Blocker Desiree Elliott Named to CVU Rising Stars List
BATON ROUGE – LSU middle blocker Desiree Elliott was one of 19 players to secure CVU’s Rising Stars award. The honor recognizes freshman players that made an instant contribution to their team. “We’re extremely excited that Desi has been included among CVU’s Rising Stars,” head coach Fran Flory said. “She certainly had an immediate impact on our program and on the SEC. We’re excited to have her continue to develop within our system and in all aspects of her game. After a great first season, we feel the best is yet to come for Desi.” Elliott was the first LSU freshman since Leah Bennent (1981) to notch All-SEC First-Team honors. She also was selected to the All-Louisiana First Team and became the fourth Tiger to notch Louisiana Sports Writers Association Freshman of the Year. Elliott connected for a .300 hitting percentage or better in 20 of 30 matches, including 14 of her 20 SEC appearances. Her 1.07 blocks per set and .337 hitting ratio during conference matches ranked sixth and eighth, respectively. LSU compiled a 25-5 record en route to its sixth straight SEC Western Division title last season. The Tigers also are one of only 18 programs nationally to qualify for the last six NCAA Tournaments dating back to the 2005 season. Below is the complete list of CVU’s Rising Stars. CVU’s Rising Stars Player, Position, School Taylor Akana, OH, Siena Megan Baska, L, Arkansas State Desiree Elliott, MB, LSU Chloe Ferrari, MH, San Diego Falyn Fonoimoana, OH, USC Kristina Graven, OH, Cal Poly Haleigh Hampton, MB, Long Beach State Molly Kreklow, S, Missouri Deja McClendon, OH, Penn State Andrea McHugh, OH, Notre Dame Sallie McLaurin, MB, Oklahoma Lena Oliver, L, Western Michigan Jenna Orlandini, L, Washington Lauren Plum, S, Oregon Garyn Schlatter, S, Portland State Maddie Simpson, S, High Point Melanie Stutsman, S, Western Kentucky Lauren Wicinski, OH, Northern Illinois Ashley Wittman, OH, Minnesota
Western Kentucky’s Melanie Stutsman and Arkansas State’s Megan Baska
Named CVU Rising Stars
NEW ORLEANS – Western Kentucky’s Melanie Stutsman and Arkansas State’s Megan Baska were named Rising Stars for the freshman class in 2010 by Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU.com), announced by the organization on Friday.
Northern Illinois' Lauren Wicinski was named the 2010 CVU.com Freshman of the Year.
The pair were just two of 18 freshman in the country selected as Rising Stars and marked the second consecutive year the Sun Belt has had a freshman named a Rising Star. FIU’s Jovana Bjelica was named a Rising Star after the 2009 season when she earned AVCA All-American honors and helped lead the Panthers to a 32-4 season and an NCAA Tournament berth.
Stutsman has had an impressive freshman campaign. She was named SBC Freshman of the Year and a member of the All-Conference Second Team in addition to her Region Freshman of the year and AVCA All-American honors. The Floyd Knobs, Ind., native set her team to a .294 hitting percentage which ranks seventh in the country and first in the Sun Belt. Stutsman saw action in all 121 sets in 2010 at the setter position. The freshman has collected 1,289 assists for an average of 10.65, which ranks third in the conference and 52nd in the nation in assists per set. Stutsman helped lead the Lady Toppers to their fifth trip to the NCAA tournament and first since 2008.
Baska also had a stellar collegiate debut in 2010. She was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year and earned All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team accolades. The Overland Park, Kan., native earned conference Defensive Player of the Week honors in her first collegiate weekend and was selected four times for the honor in 2010. Baska leads the Red Wolves with 497 digs so far this year and has etched her name in the record book already, taking over 10th place on the season digs chart. Her 5.07 digs per set average ranks in the top-ten among league players and in the top-50 nationally. She has also added three kills, 18 service aces and 64 assists so far this season.
To be considered as a CVU.com Rising Star, a student-athlete must have played in 50 percent or more of her team's overall games. The selections were made based upon individual performance, contributions to the team and potential future impact.
Senior Penn State Women’s Volleyball Player Blair Brown Named Female Athlete of the Month
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., Feb. 18 – Senior Penn State women’svolleyball player Blair Brown (Purcellville, Va.) was named the Female Athlete of the Month for January 2011, the United States Sports Academy announced.
In December 2011, the Academy will name the Male and Female Athlete of the Year for the 27th consecutive year. The recipients of this prestigious award are selected annually through worldwide balloting hosted by the Academy in conjunction with USA Today and NBC Sports.
This year, the Athlete of the Year ballot will feature 10 male and 10 female candidates. As January’s Female Athlete of the Month, Brown will be considered as a candidate for the 2011 Athlete of the Year ballot.
The United State Sports Academy is an independent, non-profit, accredited, special mission sports university created to serve the nation and the world with programs in instruction, research and service. The role of the Academy is to prepare men and women for careers in the profession of sports.
Brown, who became the sixth straight Nittany Lion to be named the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2010, is a three-time AVCA All-American and was integral in Penn State's four consecutive NCAA titles. A three-time All-Big Ten selection, Brown earned Second Team laurels in 2008 and First Team honors in 2009 and 2010. Brown started all 37 matches in 2010 and led the Nittany Lions with 521 kills, averaging 4.24 kills per set on .320 hitting. She was second on the team with 281 digs (2.28 digs per set) and 113 total blocks (0.92 blocks per set). Her 4.24 kills per set ranked second in the Big Ten and 21st nationally, while her .323 attack percentage ranked ninth in the league. Also, her 4.72 points per set ranked 18th in the nation. In 2010, Brown was a Unanimous Preseason All-Big Ten pick and earned conference player of the week laurels three times. She surpassed the 1,000 career kills milestone in 2010 and closed out her career with 1,295 kills.
For more information on the Penn State women’s volleyball team, please visit www.GoPSUsports.com. The Penn State men’s volleyball 2010 season is presented by Rockvale Outlets and The Outlets at Hershey.
