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Duke Volleyball: Nailah Waterfield Blog #2 - Volleyball Preseason Under Way

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Duke volleyball junior Nailah Waterfield will keep a weekly blog this season chronicling the Blue Devils' 2010-11 campaign. Last season, Duke won the 2010 ACC Championship, made the NCAA Tournament for the sixth straight year and advanced all the way to the Round of Eight.

Look for Nailah's blog every week during the season on GoDuke.com.

Preseason is finally here! It is one of the most exciting times of the year for Duke Volleyball. The offseason is finally over, preseason is here, and the season is in sight. The past couple of days have been packed with excitement, anticipation, emotion, and a little bit of nerves… okay maybe a lot of nerves for our freshman. Excited to get started, anticipating what may lie ahead for this group of 13, emotion as this is the last preseason we will be spending with Kellie, Amanda, Sophia, and Kayla. And most importantly a fire within, all 13 of us to compete, achieve, and win.

 

For me, and some of the older girls, preseason has started off as a beautiful combination of both the familiar and the strange.  I feel quite old saying that the tradition of getting our gear, picture day (and the subsequent stress of waiting to see your GoDuke picture). That first team meeting, fitness testing, and the string of necessary meetings coach schedules are feeling quite familiar.

 

There are also of course some unfamiliar feelings floating around that are both strange and exciting. Strange seeing our four freshmen who have spent the past two years visiting, suit up in their official Duke Volleyball gear. Strange but exciting getting so much coaching after we all just spent three months playing without a coach in sight. Unfamiliar returning to an apartment instead of a dorm after a long day of practice along with juggling double days with finals as we all still have a week left of class.

 

There is a lot to look forward to in the coming weeks. An annual trip to the lake house that involves home videos and home cooked meals. Our first team practice in Cameron as soon as the new floor is finished. The freshmen, sophomores, and juniors moving into East, West, and Central campus respectively. And a goodbye dinner to our beloved academic advisor Kacy King, a woman who has meant more to this program then most could comprehend. She has helped every one of us hold it all together when we were sure we were falling apart. A supportive friend, brilliant mentor, and utterly perfect example of what we all aspire to be as young women.

           

Houston Volleyball’s Lucy Charuk To Participate In Team Canada Selection Camp

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Houston Volleyball’s Lucy Charuk To Participate In Team Canada Selection Camp

Camp Organizers Will Select 2011 Senior Women’s Team At Camp

 

HOUSTON – University of Houston junior middle blocker Lucy Charuk will head back to Canada, May 15-20, for the second round of tryouts for the Canadian National team.

 

Charuk recently completed a tryout trip in March and was invited to attend the selection camp in Winnipeg.

 

The five-day camp will consist of on-court trailing sessions as well as physical testing. The on-court sessions are designed to evaluate technical and tactical skills in both individual and team settings. Participants will be divided into four teams and complete in a weeklong tournament.

 

At the conclusion of the camp, participants will be told if they have been selected to the Senior “A” or the Senior “B” team. Those selected to the “A” team will stay in Canada and begin preparations for competition that begins in June. The members of the “B” will begin training July 10 and compete in the 2011 International Sports Federation Games Aug. 12-23 in Shenzhen, China.

 

During the first round of tryouts, Charuk was one of 52 athletes looking to earn aspot on the two teams.

Charuk was an important member of the 2010 volleyball squad that finished third in the league standings. The team finished with a 19-13 record and a 13-7 league finish. The 13 C-USA wins marks the first time since 1999 that the team reached the 13-win mark.

The Tswwassen, British Columbia native also earned her second spot on the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America Honorable Mention list after earning the award in 2008. In addition, Charuk was named an AVCA Midwest All-Region selection and was selected to the All-Conference USA First Team.

Charuk led the team with 361 kills and was second with a .348 hitting percentage. She also led the team with 148 blocks. Her block total is the 10th highest in school single-season history and her 124block assists rank ninth. She also moves into fifth place in career blocks.

Charuk found herself ranked among the Conference USA leaders at the conclusion of the season. In the final league standings,Charuk finished third in hitting percentage and second in blocks.

 

Cal Bears Volleyball Player Tia Gaffen Released for Transfer

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Cal Bears Volleyball Player Tia Gaffen Released for Transfer
The Fab 50 middle hitter will join the volleyball program at North Carolina

BERKELEY – California volleyball middle hitter Tia Gaffen has been released from the program and has enrolled at North Carolina for the 2011 spring semester, head coach Rich Feller announced on Mon., Jan. 10. Gaffen appeared in 29 matches over two seasons and collected 48 kills while hitting .312 to go with 44 blocks (0.81 bps).
 
“I am fully supportive of Tia’s decision to transfer,” said Feller. “She has been a great team member for two years and has always worked hard in the gym and in support of her teammates. She leaves Cal in great academic standing and will be missed. Her desire was to find the right academic fit, as well as a good volleyball program where she could contribute as a starter, and I know that she is happy with her decision.”
 
“I am very grateful to coach Feller and his staff for having given me the opportunity to be part of such a wonderful program,” said Gaffen. “I will miss the coaches and my teammates in Berkeley, and I wish the Bears all the best in the years to come. I felt that transferring and getting a fresh start was what would be best for me, and I am excited to be a Tar Heel.”
 
In 2010, as a sophomore, she appeared in 21 sets, and notched 17 kills (3e, 37att, .378) to go with one assists, two service aces, five digs, and 14 blocks (0.67 bps). Gaffen earned 26.0 points (1.24 pps) and had a season-high five kills against Gardner-Webb on Sept. 3.
 
As a freshman in 2009, Gaffen played in 33 sets, and earned 26 kills (11e, 56att, .268). She had eight assists, five digs, and 28 blocks (0.91 bps) on her way to 42.0 points. She earned a season-high six kills in two matches and had five blocks in a match against San Francisco on Sept. 19.
 
Gaffen was a four-year letterwinner at Wayzata High School in Wayzata, Minn. She was a Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 selection, a PrepVolleyball.com Top Senior Ace, and an UnderArmour Second-Team High School All-American. She played for Minnesota Select Volleyball Club and participated in the 2009 Junior Olympics.
 

NCAA Women's Volleyball: Hoffman and McGlaughlin Garner Academic All-MAC Recognition

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NCAA Women's Volleyball: Hoffman and McGlaughlin Garner Academic All-MAC Recognition

Junior pair receives accolade for second straight season
 
DeKALB, Ill. - For the second consecutive season, Northern Illinois volleyball juniors Kristin Hoffman and Allison McGlaughlin received Academic All-Mid-American Conference recognition, the league announced Monday. 
 
With the two selections, the Huskies have had multiple Academic All-MAC honorees in three straight seasons, a feat that had not been achieved in program history.  Academic excellence has been a trademark of ninth-year head coach Ray Gooden’s tenure.  Prior to his arrival in 2002, NIU had six Academic All-MAC selections and zero ESPN Academic All-District and All-American recipients.  Under Gooden, 11 Huskies have received Academic All-MAC recognition, five have been named to the ESPN Academic All-District Team and one (Hoffman in 2010) has been chosen as an ESPN Academic All-American. 
 
With Hoffman and McGlaughlin earning ESPN Academic All-District and Academic All-MAC honors, along with NIU receiving the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award for the second straight season, Gooden is pleased to see the trend of academic success continue.
 
“These are great achievements for both Kristin and Allison, who set a great example of what it means to be Huskie student-athletes,” Gooden said.  “These two achieve excellence in the classroom and on the court, as well as in the community.  I am very proud to see Kristin and Allison represent the volleyball program and Northern Illinois University like this.”
 
The honor caps a career season for Hoffman, who nearly a month ago became NIU volleyball’s first Academic All-American after being named to ESPN/College Sports Information Directors of America’s (CoSIDA) Third Team.  As the primary setter, the Batavia High School (Batavia, Ill.) product also garnered First Team All-Mid-American Conference and First Team ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-District V nods.  The history major with a 3.95 GPA ranked second in the MAC in assists (11.51/set) and 17th in the nation.  She set career-highs of 1,496 assists, 53 kills, 28 aces, 260 digs, 35 blocks and 99.5 points.  Her assist total is good for fifth on the NIU all-time single season list as she captained an offense that ranked 33rd in kills (14.01/set) and 34th in hitting percentage (.256).
McGlaughlin also was selected to the First Team ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-District V and continued to climb the NIU all-time kills list.  The outside hitter set career-highs of 30 assists and 342 digs (2.61/set), ranking second on the team in kills (2.63/set), aces (28) and digs.  Along the way, the elementary education major with a 3.95 GPA achieved her 1,000th career kill at Toledo on Oct. 29, marking the 16th Huskies to reach the 1,000-kill plateau.  Her 1,086 kills rank 15th on the all-time NIU list.  Additionally, the Morton, Ill. (Morton H.S.), native totaled 18 matches with 10 or more kills and 15 matches with 10-plus digs.
 
The third-year duo is 2-for-2 in earning the award, as freshmen and junior college transfers are not eligible for consideration.  In order to qualify, the student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (GPA) and participate in at least 50 percent of the matches.
 

Mid American Conference Volleyball: Getting To Know Akron Volleyball Player courtney jarvis

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Mid American Conference Volleyball: Getting to Know Akron Volleyball Player Courtney Jarvis

Junior outside hitter Courtney Jarvis has been a star for the Zips on both sides of the ball all season.

Always putting forth a complete effort, Jarvis leads the team with 147 kills (3.67 K/S) and is second on the team defensively with 136 digs (3.40 D/S).

The recent MAC East Division Offensive Volleyball Player of the Week, Jarvis' best performance came at last weekend's Colgate Invitational where she registered 27 kills and 23 digs for her fifth double-double of the season.

UMKC Volleyball Player Elizabeth Beck Named To Arkansas Invitational All-Tournament Team

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UMKC Volleyball Player Elizabeth Beck Named To Arkansas Invitational All-Tournament Team

 

Fayetteville, Ark. – UMKC junior Elizabeth Beck was named to the Arkansas Invitational all-Tournament team on Saturday after posting team-highs of 38 kills and six service aces in the three matches, while also notching 30 digs, six assists and four blocks with a .252 hitting percentage.
 
In the first match on Friday against Arkansas, Beck led the team with 12 kills in the loss, while adding eight digs, two blocks and an ace.  Against Stamford, Beck again led the squad in kills, this time registering 11 with a .360 hitting percentage to go along with 11 digs for her first double-double of the season.  Beck led UMKC in kills for a third consecutive match, notching 15 against Grambling.  In the match, Beck recorded her second double-double of the day, adding 10 digs, four assists, four aces and a block to her totals.
 
Joining Beck on the all-tournament team were Arkansas’ Kelli Stipanovich (MVP), Amanda Anderson and Cassie Clarke, Samford’s Lauren Hutchinson and Alexis Bauer and Grambling State’s Chelsee Goins.
 
UMKC will be back in action again on Tuesday when they take on Kansas at 6:30 p.m. in Lawrence.
 

Alabama Outside Hitter Ashley Frazier Transfers to Kentucky Volleyball Team

Alabama Outside Hitter Ashley Frazier Transfers to Kentucky Volleyball Team

Transfer from Alabama will have two years of eligibility

 

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Ashley Frazier will transfer to the University of Kentucky and join the UK volleyball team head coach Craig Skinner announced Wednesday.

 

Frazier was a two-year outside hitter for Alabama where she was named the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week as a sophomore after a break-out performance in September.

 

“Ashley is a very dynamic and powerful attacker with the ability to play six rotations,” Skinner said.  “Her best years of volleyball are ahead of her, and she will be very valuable to our success over the next few years.  Ashley has lofty goals academically and on the court and we are excited to help her excel in both of those areas.”

 

Frazier played in 55 matches for Alabama and averaged 2.49 kills per set from her outside hitter position. She threw down a career-high 311 as a sophomore while hitting at a .201 percentage. A versatile player, Frasier also tallied 1.55 digs per set and 0.46 blocks per set while at Alabama.

 

The Oregon, Ohio, native will join the Kentucky squad in the fall of 2010, but will not be eligible to play until the fall of 2011 as per NCAA rules. She will have two years of eligibility remaining beginning in 2011.

 

In 2009, Frazier had a breakout performance when she combined for 31 kills and a hitting percentage of .371 in Alabama's wins over Georgia and Auburn. She notched a pair of double-doubles with 15 kills and 11 digs against the Bulldogs and 16 kills and 17 digs versus the Tigers. Frazier recorded three solo blocks in the two matches, including one on match point against Georgia. At the end of the Tide's first set with Auburn, she tallied a trio of service aces setting a new career high in that category. For the weekend, Frazier averaged 4.43 kills per set, 0.86 blocks per set, 4.00 digs per set and 5.79 points per set en route to earning SEC Player of the Week honors and being named the College Volleyball Updated National Player of the Week.

 

Frazier set a career-high with 20 kills in a match in a win over South Carolina later in the season. She also posted a career-best 18 digs in a win over Southern Methodist during her sophomore campaign.

 

 

Follow along with the Wildcats on UKathletics.com all season long for the most up to date information, stats and releases.

 

‑ GO CATS ‑

Three Maryland Volleyball Players Make ACC All-Academic Team




Three Maryland Volleyball Players 

Make ACC All-Academic Team

Junior Brittney Grove, freshman Samantha Rosario and senior Katie Usher were all named to the 2009 ACC All-Academic Team

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Three members of the Maryland volleyball team are on a list of 30 volleyball student-athletes selected to the 2009 ACC All-Academic Team, announced today by Commissioner John Swofford. Junior Brittney Grove, freshman Samantha Rosario and senior Katie Usher all made the cut.

Usher led the team with a .323 hitting percentage and in blocking with 96 total. She finished her career ranked third in block assists (449), third in total blocks (499) and eight in block solos (50). Usher also finished 10^th in hitting percentage (.288) and 10^th in points (1,304.5).

Rosario, a libero from Lindenhurt, N.Y., recorded 484 digs this season, the fourth-best single-season total in program history. Grove recorded two double-doubles on the season, first on Oct. 10 (12 kills and 14 digs) and on Oct. 30. (13 kills and 10 digs). She was also on the list in 2008 as a sophomore.

To qualify for selection to the ACC All-Academic team, student-athletes must have earned a 3.0 grade-point average during the fall semester and have maintained a 3.0 GPA for their careers.

All 12 conference schools are represented on the 2009 ACC All-Academic Volleyball Team, led by Duke with six selections, followed by Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia with three picks apiece. Boston College, Florida State, Miami, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest each garnered two picks, while Clemson and NC State both had one honoree.

Name	Yr.	Pos.	School	Major
Kristen Baader	Jr.	DS	Boston College	Biology
Melanie Cimino	Jr.	MH	Boston College	Marketing
Natalie Patzin	Fr.	OH	Clemson	Biological Sciences
Kellie Catanach ^	So.	S	Duke	Undeclared
Sophia Dunworth @	So.	MB/OH	Duke	Undeclared
Christiana Gray %	Fr.	MB	Duke	Undeclared
Rachael Moss $^	Sr.	OH	Duke	Political Science
Amanda Robertson	So.	MB	Duke	Undeclared
Claire Smalzer @	Jr.	OH	Duke	Biological Anthropology
Brianna Barry $!*^	Sr.	MB	Florida State	Sports Management
Stephanie Neville	Jr.	OH	Florida State	Marketing/Finance
Jordan McCullers	Jr.	DS	Georgia Tech	Management
Brittany Roderick	Sr.	MB/OH	Georgia Tech	Management
Asia Stawicka @	So.	MB	Georgia Tech	Management
Brittney Grove @	Jr.	OH	Maryland	Marketing/Communication
Samantha Rosario	Fr.	DS	Maryland	Criminology/Criminal Justice
Katie Usher	Sr.	MB	Maryland	Family Science
Lane Carico @^	So.	OH	Miami	Exercise Physiology
Maria Andersson	Sr.	OH	Miami	Marketing
Heather Brooks #	Sr.	MH	North Carolina	Communication Studies
Branagan Fuller	Jr.	OH	North Carolina	Economics
Cora Harms	Fr.	S	North Carolina	Undeclared
Keri DeMar	Sr.	OH	NC State	Management
A.J. Cushman	Jr.	DS	Virginia	Kinesiology
Lauren Dickson #	Sr.	OH	Virginia	Commerce
Sydney Hill @	Jr.	MB	Virginia	Kinesiology
Jill Gergen @	Sr.	DS	Virginia Tech	Mathematics
Cara Baarendse %	Fr.	MB	Virginia Tech	Marketing
Andrea Beck	Fr.	MB/OH	Wake Forest	Undeclared
Kelsey Jones @	Jr.	S	Wake Forest	Communications

 

! denotes 2009 ACC Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
@ denotes two-time honoree
# denotes three-time honoree
$ denotes four-time honoree
* denotes 2009 ACC Volleyball Player of the Year
^ denotes 2009 All-ACC team member
% denotes All-ACC Freshman team member

 

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and women's pro volleyball players, self-coaching and volleyball training 

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FIU Volleyball Players Yarimar Rosa, Natalia Valentin Earn CVU.com Stellar Spiker Recognition




FIU Volleyball Players Yarimar Rosa, Natalia Valentin Earn CVU.com Stellar Spiker Recognition

Rosa named to second team, Valentin tabbed honorable mention

 

MIAMI – A pair of FIU volleyball standouts have been named to the 2009 College Volleyball Update (CVU.com) Stellar Spiker teams, as 2009 graduate Yarimar Rosa earned second team honors and current junior Natalia Valentin received honorable mention recognition.

 

In honoring 96 student athletes from across the nation, CVU.com looked for players that exhibited excellence and balance, and, while NCAA statistical rankings were considered, they weren't the only consideration. Also considered in forming the two teams of 14 and the 68 honorable mention selections, was the impact the player had on helping her team succeed, as well as conference awards.

 

First- and second-team selections were formed around the idea of building a team with a starting lineup of seven players and then two players per starting slot were chosen to fill out each team. The honorable mention team did not follow this pattern.

 

Rosa, FIU’s first ever four-time All-American, ended her career as FIU’s all-time leader in career kills (2,083) and career digs (1,053) and is coming off a senior campaign in which she led FIU in kills (382, 4.60 kps), despite missing 11 matches due to injuries.

 

The Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, native earned Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Player of the Week accolades on four occasions in 2009 and a league-record 13 times over her career. She has also been a first team All-SBC and All-South Region selection in each of her four years, while earning SBC Freshman of the Year and AVCA South Region Freshman of the Year honors in 2006, and SBC Player of the Year accolades in 2008 and 2009. Also in 2008, Rosa was tabbed SBC Female Student-Athlete of the Year after leading the nation in kills per set.

 

Valentin, who was part of FIU volleyball’s first ever trio of All-America selections in 2009, was largely responsible for setting up an FIU offense which consistently ranked in the top 15 in the country in kills per set and assists per set. Valentin ended the Sun Belt Conference regular season ranked first in the assists per set category and recorded a final season average of 11.87 assists per set.

 

The Caguas, Puerto Rico, native registered 1,448 assists over her junior campaign, a total which marks an FIU all-time single-season record, and she now owns 3,143 career assists to rank third on the all-time charts. Valentin received her first career All-South Region nod this year while also garnering first team All-SBC accolades. She was named to the All-SBC second team in 2008.

 

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Volleyball Voices is a volleyball news hub where girls high school volleyball, club 

volleyball, college volleyball players, parents and fans learn about the indoor and 

sand volleyball game and its female heroes with breaking news stories of college 

and women's pro volleyball players, self-coaching and volleyball training 

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Four Cavaliers Named to All-ACC Academic Volleyball Team




Four Cavaliers Named to All-ACC Academic Volleyball Team
Cushman, Dickson and Hill honored for work in classroom and on the court

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - The Virginia volleyball team placed three Cavaliers on the 2009 All-ACC Academic Volleyball Team as announced today by the conference. Senior Lauren Dickson and juniors A.J. Cushman and Sydney Hill have been honored for their work in the classroom and on the court.

Dickson, a commerce major from Austin, Texas, is making her third-straight appearance on the All-ACC Academic Team and is a three-time ACC Academic Honor Roll member. A two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District honoree, Dickson wrapped up her career becoming the 14th Cavalier to tally at least 1,000 career kills. She was named the MVP of the Marriott Jefferson Cup and to Nebraska’s Ameritas Players Challenge All-Tournament Team.

Cushman is majoring in kinesiology and is making her first All-ACC Academic Team appearance. The Richmond, Va., native led the Cavaliers in digs this season and collected a career-high 26 in a win over BYU at the Ameritas Players Challenge. Cushman was named to the all-tournament team at both of Virginia’s home tournaments this year – the Holiday Inn Jefferson Cup and the Marriott Cavalier Classic.

Hill, a kinesiology major, is a repeat honoree on the All-ACC Academic Team. A native of Kalamazoo, Mich., Hill was second on the team in blocks and hitting percentage this year. The junior started every match at middle blocker for the Cavaliers and blocked a season-best six attacks in a win over Miami, in addition to landing a career-high 11 kills at Wake Forest.

To be eligible for consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during her academic career.

Wake Forest's Kelsey Jones and Andrea Beck Named To ACC Volleyball All-Academic Team




Wake Forest's Jones and Beck Named To 

ACC Volleyball All-Academic Team

WINSTON-SALEM, NC – Wake Forest junior Kelsey Jones and freshman Andrea Beck were named to the 2009 All-ACC Academic Volleyball Team, as announced by the conference office, Tuesday.

 

To be eligible for consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the fall semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during her academic career.

 

For Jones, it is her second All-Academic Team honor as she also took home the award as a freshman in 2007.

 

A communications major from Ada, Mich., Jones had a tremendous season in 2009 considering she underwent off-season hip surgery just four months prior to the start of the year. She led the team and finished fifth in the ACC with 1,100 assists for an average of 10.28 assists per set. Jones also averaged 2.43 digs per set and was third in the conference with 14 double-doubles.

 

On Oct. 30, against Maryland, Jones recorded her 3,000^th career assist and is now fourth all-time in school history with 3,442 assists. She is also just 161 digs shy of becoming just the second Demon Deacon to notch 3,000 assists and 1,000 career digs.

 

Beck made an immediate impact on the team as a freshman, starting all but one match and playing in 115 of the 118 sets. She topped the squad with a .254 hitting percentage and was third on the team with 257 kills. She was also second on the team with a total 96 blocks.

 

The Winston-Salem, NC, native recorded 10 or more kills 11 times in 2009 and tallied a season-best seven total blocks three times. She opened the year strong with 10 kills and a .500 hitting percentage in her first collegiate match against Charlotte. But her best performance may have come in the four-set win over Maryland on Oct. 30, when she notched 15 kills and hit a solid .478 with four blocks.

 

Beck and Jones are two of just four Demon Deacons to earn ACC All-Academic team honors. The conference started the award in the 2005-06 school year. Erin Borhart and Natalie Mullikin earned the inaugural honor in 2005 as Mullikin went on to become the only Demon Deacon to receive the honor all four years. Jones is now a two-time honoree and Beck, Borhart and Kristin White have each received the award once.

Check out more college volleyball players stories on volleyballvoices.com!

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Here's Seven Reasons Why Players Will Gossip About The New Nfinity Volleyball Shoes

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About Volleyball Voices

Volleyball Voices is a volleyball news hub where girls high school volleyball, club 

volleyball, college volleyball players, parents and fans learn about the indoor and 

sand volleyball game and its female heroes with breaking news stories of college 

and women's pro volleyball players, self-coaching and volleyball training 

information, a gift and shopping directory, beach volleyball pictures and indoor 

volleyball videos.

 

 

Duke Places ACC-Leading Six On ACC All-Academic Volleyball Team




Duke Places ACC-Leading Six On 

ACC All-Academic Volleyball Team

 

February 23, 2010

 

DURHAM, N.C. – The Duke volleyball team placed an ACC-leading six student-athletes of the ACC All-Academic Volleyball Team, as announced by at the Atlantic Coast Conference on Tuesday.

 

Representing Duke on the academic squad were senior and First Team Academic All-America selection Rachael Moss, junior Claire Smalzer, sophomores Kellie Catanach, Sophia Dunworth and Amanda Robertson and freshman Christiana Gray. To qualify for selection to the ACC All-Academic team, student-athletes must have earned at least a 3.0 grade-point average during the previous fall semester and have maintained at least a 3.0 GPA for their careers.

 

That group has helped Duke not only reach the NCAA Tournament for five consecutive seasons, but also helped the team capture the AVCA Team Academic Award three times in the past four years. The Duke volleyball team posted a 3.522 team GPA during the fall semester, which was the highest of any team at Duke during that semester.

 

Moss, a 5-10 outside hitter, recently wrapped a four-year career that included four All-ACC selections, three appearances on the AVCA All-America Honorable Mention squad and two straight ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America citations. Moss was voted a First Team Academic All-America member as a senior after posting a 3.95 GPA with a major in Political Science. She also finished her career ranked third all-time at Duke in career kills and fourth in both digs and service aces.

 

Smalzer, a 5-10 libero, anchored Duke’s defense again as a junior, leading the team with 441 digs. Behind her effort, Duke held opponents to an ACC-low .160 hitting percentage and surrendered the fewest kills in the conference. A Biological Anthropology major, Smalzer boasts a 3.19 GPA and is a repeat selection to the ACC All-Academic squad.

 

Catanach, a 6-2 sophomore, was one of the top setters in the ACC again as a sophomore and directed a Duke offense that led the conference in kills and assists. In addition to earning AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honors, she also dished out a career-high 28 service aces and 104 kills along with 217 digs and 65 blocks. Catanach has maintained a 3.116 GPA in her first two years at Duke and is an All-ACC Second Team choice.

 

Dunworth, a 6-1 sophomore, made her second straight appearance on the All-ACC Academic Volleyball Team after posting a 3.83 GPA. On the court, she set career highs with a .283 hitting percentage and an average of 2.59 kills per set. Despite taking 43 fewer attacks as a sophomore, she matched her freshman total of 295 kills.

 

Robertson, a 6-3 sophomore, was the third member of Duke’s sophomore class to appear on the All-ACC Academic squad. With a GPA of 3.33, Robertson became a major contributor on the court in her second season, posting 195 kills, 61 blocks and 155 digs. She appeared in all 33 matches while starting 21.

 

Gray, a 6-5 freshman, emerged as not only one of the top freshmen in the ACC, but was also just one of just six freshmen to make the ACC All-Academic Volleyball Team. While leading Duke with a .314 hitting percentage, Gray contributed 200 kills and 113 blocks while starting 32 of Duke’s 33 matches. Gray posted a 3.50 GPA in her first semester at Duke.

Check out more college volleyball players stories on volleyballvoices.com!

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Volleyball Voices is a volleyball news hub where girls high school volleyball, club 

volleyball, college volleyball players, parents and fans learn about the indoor and 

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Rice Volleyball Player Meredith Schamun Named National Setter of the Year

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College Volleyball Setter Honored

Rice Volleyball Player Meredith Schamun Named National Setter of the Year

The Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU.com) has announced Rice volleyball player Meredith Schamun as it 2009 National Setter of the Year. 

A junior from Murrieta, Calif., Schamun led Conference USA in assists on her way to earning Conference USA co-Setter of the Year honors. She finished fifth nationally as she averaged 11.95 assists per set, while Rice was ranked No. 3 in kills per set. Schamun was also selected to the All-Conference USA First Team. 

Additionally, the 5' 11" setter tied for the team lead in double-doubles with 11 as she averaged 2.38 digs per set. She added to that nearly a kill (0.93) and almost a half of a block (0.46). 

Schamun's 1,374 assists in 2009 is the fifth-highest total at Rice. In only three seasons of action, she already ranks third on the Rice career assists list with 3,988 assists. 

Schamun earned C-USA Setter of the Week honors four times during the 2009 season, and was also named the CVU National Player of the Week after leading Rice to upsets over Southern Miss and Tulsa to claim the conference tournament title, where she was named Conference USA Championship MVP. 

Last season Schamun was also honored among CVU's Top Five setters. 

Rice, under sixth-year head coach Genny Volpe, posted a 23-9 record in 2009 and won its first-ever Conference USA Volleyball Championship. The Owls also played in the NCAA Championship for the second-consecutive year and third time overall. 2010 looks to be just as promising as Rice returns three starters from the 2009 squad including All-Conference USA First Team players, Schamun, senior Tracey Lam, and sophomore Ashleigh McCord, the squad's top outside hitter at 3.92 kills per set. 

Setter of the Year
Meredith Schamun, Rice

Honorable Mentions
Alisha Glass, Penn State
Kaylee Manns, Iowa State
Stefine Pease, Lipscomb
Sarah Rumley, Kentucky

Don't miss these stories of other junior college volleyball players on volleyballvoices.com.

Lots of college volleyball players were honored this season. Be sure to check out their stories!

 

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College Volleyball News: Kentucky Volleyball Player Laura Stokowski Says "See Ya" To Senior Season

University of Kentucky College Volleyball News

Stokowski will Graduate and Forego Senior Season

Defensive specialist will graduate in three years with a degree in business

 

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Junior defensive specialist Laura Stokowski announced Thursday she intends to graduate with a degree in business in May of 2010 and forego her senior season.

 

“Laura has been a great player for Kentucky volleyball and she will be missed,” Kentucky coach Craig Skinner said.  “For three years she has given her all to improving herself and this program. She is an impressive person, and we are excited for her that she is graduating and moving on to graduate school.  There will always be a piece of her with us, and she will always be a part of the Kentucky volleyball family.”

 

Stokowski, a three-year letterwinner for the UK volleyball team, has garnered enough credits and will earn her degree in three years this May. She has opted to not play in her final season of eligibility this fall and instead enroll in graduate school.

“I have made many wonderful memories and friends at Kentucky,” Stokowski said. “I want to thank Coach Skinner and the volleyball staff for giving me an opportunity to achieve my goals of graduating from UK in three years, and contributing to the success of one of the top volleyball programs in the country. I will truly miss Kentucky, my teammates, coaches and the staff. I wish them continued success in the future.”

An Aurora, Ill., native Stokowski holds a 3.44 grade point average and has twice been named to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSida Academic All-District team. She is also a three-time member of the All-SEC Academic team.

 

Stokowski has played in nearly 100 matches in her three seasons with the Blue and White. She has charted over 500 digs in her career from her defensive specialist position. For her career she notched 12 matches with 10 or more scoops and led the team in digs on three occasions. She had a career-high 17-dig performance in a 2009 victory over Northwestern.

 

The junior appeared in three NCAA Tournaments and helped the Wildcats to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in her junior campaign. In three seasons, Stokowski was a member of a team that garnered a 77-21 record.

 

Stay tuned to UKathletics.com for the most up-to-date information regarding the UK volleyball team.

Don't miss these stories of other junior college volleyball players on volleyballvoices.com.

About Volleyball Voices

Volleyball Voices is a volleyball news hub where girls high school volleyball, club 

volleyball, college volleyball players, parents and fans learn about the indoor and 

sand volleyball game and its female heroes with breaking news stories of college 

and women's pro volleyball players, self-coaching and volleyball training 

information, a gift and shopping directory, beach volleyball pictures and indoor 

volleyball videos.