2006 AVCA Division II All-America Teams
11/21/2006
2006 AVCA ALL-AMERICA TEAMS ANNOUNCED
FOR NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Lexington, Ky.- The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) is proud to announce the 26th annual AVCA All-America teams for NCAA Division II women's volleyball.
University of Minnesota Duluth right side/opposite hitter Vicky Braegelmann and Lock Haven University middle blocker Li YiZhi were selected to the AVCA All-America First Team for the third consecutive season. Truman State University outside hitter Sarah Shearman is the only other three-time AVCA All-America selection; Shearman was a first-team selection last season, following a second-team honor in 2004. Jessica Lucia, a right side/opposite hitter for Concordia University-St. Paul, earned her second consecutive first-team selection this season.
The 2006 All-America selections were made by the AVCA Division II All-America Committee: Kim Sudbeck, Augustana College (S.D.), chairperson; Mario Andaya, Central Washington University; Christy Benner, Wheeling Jesuit University; Jim Boos, University of Minnesota Duluth; Debbie Hendricks, Metropolitan State College of Denver; Sandy Hoffman, Bentley College; Laurie Lokash, Slippery Rock University; Stephanie Radecki, University of North Alabama; and Jill Stephens, Florida Southern College.
2006 AVCA DIVISION II ALL-AMERICA FIRST-TEAMSM
Player Institution Pos. Yr. Ht. Hometown
Laura Bellinger % University of North Alabama S Sr. 5-7 Portage, Michigan
Vicky Braegelmann $ * University of Minnesota Duluth RS/Opp Jr. 6-0 Albany, Minnesota
Katelen Dixon University of Tampa OH Jr. 5-10 Clearwater, Florida
Kelsey Kyro & Concordia University-St. Paul MB Sr. 5-8 Minneapolis, Minnesota
Jessica Lucia * Concordia University-St. Paul RS/Opp Sr. 5-9 Plymouth, Minnesota
Meghan Moore Grand Valley State University MB Sr. 5-11 Alma, Michigan
Michelle Peters Brigham Young University Hawai'i OH Jr. 5-9 Laie, Hawai'i
Alyson Riley Grand Valley State University DS/Lib Jr. 5-9 Battle Creek, Michigan
Stephanie Rivera % University of Tampa OH Sr. 6-0 Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
Taryn Rudland Hillsdale College MB Sr. 6-1 Holland, Michigan
Sarah Shearman ^ * Truman State University OH Sr. 5-8 Manchester, Missouri
Li YiZhi $ * Lock Haven University MB Sr. 5-11 Shanghai, China
2006 AVCA DIVISION II ALL-AMERICA SECOND-TEAMSM
Player Institution Pos. Yr. Ht. Hometown
Erin Contons % Southwest Minnesota State University OH Jr. 5-10 Apple Valley, Minnesota
Ericka Fonseca Florida Gulf Coast University MB Sr. 6-2 Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Katie Gangelhoff University of Minnesota Duluth S So. 5-8 South St. Paul, Minnesota
Ashley Martin Florida Southern College RS/Opp So. 6-1 St. Petersburg, Florida
Barbara Martin * Hawai'i Pacific University MB Sr. 6-3 Curitiba, Brazil
Maggie McNamara Concordia University-St. Paul S Fr. 5-9 Zumbrota, Minnesota
Kimberly Potthast Southern Illinois Univ. Edwardsville RS/Opp Jr. 6-1 Saint Rose, Illinois
Emily Schroeder Wayne State College (Neb.) MB Jr. 5-11 Belden, Nebraska
Margeaux Sinibaldi University of Tampa DS/Lib Jr. 5-6 Venice, Florida
Kelsey Wackerman * Truman State University S/H Sr. 5-11 Camdenton, Missouri
Kari Wolford University of Minnesota Duluth OH Jr. 5-11 Avon, Minnesota
Brooke Youngquist Florida Gulf Coast University OH Jr. 5-9 Fort Myers, Florida
(More)
ADD 1 - 2006 AVCA Division II All-America Teams
2006 AVCA DIVISION II ALL-AMERICA THIRD-TEAMSM
Player Institution Pos. Yr. Ht. Hometown
Erica Brick California State University Chico S So. 5-7 Laguna Niguel, California
Carlie Christensen University of Nebraska at Omaha MB Jr. 6-0 Omaha, Nebraska
Chandra Ginest Florida Gulf Coast University S So. 5-9 Fort Morgan, Colorado
Mary Kate Glowe Ashland University OH Jr. 5-9 Avon Lake, Ohio
Inga Kurgonaite Lock Haven University RS/Opp Jr. 6-4 Kaunas, Lithuania
Jordan McAfee & Florida Southern College S Sr. 5-7 Lakeland, Florida
Jillian Ohrman University of Central Missouri MB Jr. 6-0 Independence, Missouri
Courtney Schneider Western Washington University DS/Lib Jr. 5-9 Snohomish, Washington
Nicole Schwab Fort Lewis College MB Jr. 5-11 Loveland, Colorado
Megan Stout University of North Alabama RS/Opp Sr. 5-11 Montgomery, Alabama
Katie Tarka University of Central Missouri DS/Lib Sr. 5-9 St. Charles, Missouri
Jenna Von Moos Seattle Pacific University S Sr. 5-10 Stanwood, Washington
* indicates 2005 AVCA First Team All-America selection
% indicates 2005 AVCA Second Team All-America selection
& indicates 2005 AVCA Third Team All-America selection
$ indicates 2004 AVCA First Team All-America selection
^ indicates 2004 AVCA Second Team All-America selection
2006 AVCA Division II Freshman of the YearSM: Maggie McNamara, Concordia University-St. Paul, S
2006 AVCA Division II Player of the YearSM: announced in separate release
2006 AVCA Division II Honorable Mention All-America
Stephanie Allison (Metro State, OH, Sr.)
Irina Belozerova (Dowling, MB, Jr.)
Sarah Brandon (Kutztown, RS/Opp, Sr.)
Stephanie Brink (Saint Rose, OH, Jr.)
Kelli Bunger (Nebraska-Kearney, OH, Sr.)
Allie Cherven (Truman, MB, So.)
Mallory Clements (SIU-Edwardsville, S, So.)
Brittany Coleman (Wayne State [Neb.], S, Sr.)
Samara de Freitas (Barry, MB, Jr.)
Sharea Drawn (Cal State-San Bernardino, MB, Jr.)
Libby Garza (West Texas A&M, S, Sr.)
Alyssa Given (Seattle Pacific, OH, Jr.)
Jessica Granados (Cal State-San Bernardino, RS/Opp, So.)
Alisha Green (Tampa, MB, Fr.)
Julie Green (Metro State, OH, Jr.)
Whitney Hendry (Florida Gulf Coast, DS/Lib, Jr.)
Ashley Hill (North Alabama, DS/Lib, Sr.)
Liz Holmes (Northern Kentucky, MB, Jr.)
Jamie Houle (Chico State, MB, Sr.)
Tessa Jones (Washburn, RS/Opp, Jr.)
Rachel Langseth (Minnesota Duluth, MB, Sr.)
LeeAnn Mapu (BYU-Hawai'i, S, So.)
Shari Matthews (North Carolina Central, OH, Jr.)
Justyna Michon (Dowling, OH, Jr.)
Rhe-Ann Niles (New Haven, MB, Jr.)
Andrea Oswald (Augustana [S.D.], MB, Sr.)
Kristin Pasley (Central Washington, RS/Opp, Sr.)
Christina Sadowski (Bentley, MB, Jr.)
Marta Slodnik (Dowling, OH, Sr.)
Lacie Smith (Lees-McRae, OH, Sr.)
Beverly Stasis (Florida Southern, OH, Jr.)
Taran Turner (Cameron, MB, Sr.)
Anastasia Urbanik (Slippery Rock, MB, So.)
Stacey Vogel (Mesa State, OH, Sr.)
Lynsey Warren (Ashland, S, Jr.)
Samantha Weber (St. Mary's [Texas], MB, Jr.)
ADD 2 - 2006 AVCA Division II All-America Teams
AVCA All-America First Team
Laura Bellinger, a 5-7 setter for the University of North Alabama, is a senior from Portage, Mich. Bellinger, the Gulf South Conference East Player of the Year, averaged 13.04 assists per game, good for top ten in NCAA Division II, while leading her team to a .253 hitting percentage, sixteenth-best in the country. The two-time AVCA All-America selection helped lead the Lions to the national championship match of the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Vicky Braegelmann, a 6-0 right side/opposite hitter for the University of Minnesota Duluth, is a junior from Albany, Minn. Braegelmann, a three-time AVCA All-America First-Team choice, hit. 374 with averages of 4.75 kills and 0.66 blocks per game. Named the North Central Conference Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive year, Braegelmann helped lead the Bulldogs the national semifinals of the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Katelen Dixon, a 5-10 outside hitter for the University of Tampa, is a junior from Clearwater, Fla. Dixon, the Sunshine State Conference Offensive Player of the Year, averaged 3.75 kills, 2.83 digs, and 4.43 points per game. Dixon helped lead the Spartans to the 2006 Division II National Championship.
Kelsey Kyro, a 5-8 middle blocker for Concordia University-St. Paul, is a senior from Minneapolis, Minn. A two-time first-team All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference selection, Kyro hit a conference best .382 this season, also good for top ten in the nation in NCAA Division II. Kyro averaged 4.34 kills and 1.09 blocks per game in helping lead the Golden Bears to the North Central Region finals of the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Jessica Lucia, a 5-9 right side/opposite hitter for Concordia University-St. Paul, is a senior from Plymouth, Minn. Lucia averaged 4.88 kills per game, good for eighth in NCAA Division II, and added 3.21 digs this season for the Golden Bears. A two-time AVCA First-Team All-America honoree, Lucia is the only player in school history to accumulate both 1,500 kills and 1,500 digs for a career.
Meghan Moore, a 5-11 middle blocker for Grand Valley State University, is a senior from Alma, Mich. Moore averaged 4.35 kills, 1.16 blocks and 0.68 digs per game, while hitting .375, 13th best in NCAA Division II. Moore, an All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First-Team honoree, tallied double digit kills in 28 of her team's 31 matches.
Michelle Peters, a 5-9 outside hitter for Brigham Young University Hawai'i, is a junior from Laie, Hawai'i. Peters averaged 5.56 kills per game this season, third best in NCAA Division II; she added 3.89 digs per game. Peters led the Seasiders to an undefeated regular season, the Pacific West Conference Championship, and a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Alyson Riley, a 5-9 libero for Grand Valley State University, is a junior from Battle Creek, Mich. The All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) First-Team selection averaged 5.75 digs per game, good for 21st in NCAA Division II, and collected 20-plus digs in 16 matches this season. In just three years, the two-time GLIAC libero-of-the-year is already the school's career leader for digs.
Stephanie Rivera, a 6-0 outside hitter for the University of Tampa, is a senior from Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. Rivera hit .331, while averaging 3.31 kills, 1.90 digs and 0.69 blocks per game for the National Champion Spartans. Now a two-time AVCA All-America honoree, Rivera was named the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year.
Taryn Rudland, a 6-1 middle blocker for Hillsdale College, is a senior from Holland, Mich. Rudland was second in NCAA Division II with a .423 hitting percentage, averaging 3.31 kills and 1.25 blocks per game. The 2006 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year helped lead the Chargers to a school-record 29 wins and their first-ever trip to the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Sarah Shearman, a 5-8 outside hitter for Truman State University, is a senior from Manchester, Mo. Shearman, the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association MVP, hit .295 this season, averaging 3.53 kills, 4.22 digs and 4.04 points per game. Shearman, who registered 16 double-doubles this season, is ranked first in school history in career kills per game, third in career hitting percentage and fourth in career digs per game.
Li YiZhi, a 5-11 middle blocker for Lock Haven University, is a senior from Shanghai, China. YiZhi, a three-time AVCA All-America First-Team selection, led NCAA Division II in hitting percentage at .465, and averaged an NCAA-20th-best 1.33 blocks per game. The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division Athlete of the Year also averaged 4.01 kills and 2.89 digs per game.
ADD 3 - 2006 AVCA Division II All-America Teams
AVCA All-America Second Team
Erin Contons, a 5-10 outside hitter for Southwest Minnesota State University, is a junior from Apple Valley, Minn. The two-time AVCA All-America honoree's 5.85 kills per game ranked second in NCAA Division II; she also added 4.12 digs per game. Contons is the school's career leader in kills (1,924), and broke the school record for kills in a season in 2006 (737).
Ericka Fonseca, a 6-2 middle blocker from Florida Gulf Coast University, is a senior from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Fonseca hit .363 this season, averaging an even 4.00 kills and 1.11 blocks per game. Reaching double figures in kills in 27 matches this season, Fonseca is now the career leader in attack percentage (.363) and kills per game (3.91), and set the school record for blocks in a career with 247.
Katie Gangelhoff, a 5-8 setter for the University of Minnesota Duluth, is a sophomore from South St. Paul, Minn. The All-North Central Conference selection led her team to an NCAA Division II tenth-best .275 hitting percentage, while averaging 14.78 assists per game, second best in the nation this season. Gangelhoff helped lead her Bulldogs to their second-ever appearance in the national semifinals.
Ashley Martin, a 6-1 right side/opposite hitter for Florida Southern College, is a sophomore from St. Petersburg, Fla. Martin averaged 3.73 kills, 0.82 blocks and 1.79 digs per game, while hitting .292. The All-Sunshine State Conference First-Team selection helped lead her team to a share of the conference championship, and a trip to the NCAA Division II South Regional semifinals.
Barbara Martin, a 6-3 middle blocker for Hawai'i Pacific University, is a senior from Curitiba, Brazil. The two-time AVCA All-America honoree was among the NCAA Division II leaders in kills per game, recording double figures in kills in 21 of 24 matches, including nine matches with 20 or more. Martin also averaged 3.46 digs per game, second on the team, and led the Sea Warriors in kills (405), blocks (84) and service aces (31).
Maggie McNamara, a 5-9 setter for Concordia University-St. Paul, is a freshman from Zumbrota, Minn. McNamara led the nation in assists per game at 15.09, dishing out 1,977 total helpers, and led her team to a .280 hitting percentage, eighth-best in NCAA Division II. The 1,977 total assists is an NCAA Division II record in the 30-point scoring format era, while the 15.09 assists per game are the Division II record in any format.
Kimberly Potthast, a 6-1 right side/opposite hitter for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, is a junior from Saint Rose, Illinois. The Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year finished the season with a .337 hitting percentage, averaging 3.59 kills and 1.24 blocks per game. Potthast helped lead the Cougars to a school-record-tying 29 wins and their second-ever trip to the Great Lakes Region finals of the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Emily Schroeder, a 5-11 middle blocker for Wayne State College in Neb., is a junior from Belden, Neb. Schroeder averaged 1.54 blocks per game, which ranked fourth in the nation in Division II, and set a school single-season record with 599 kills, for a 25th-best-nationally 4.47 kills per game. Schroeder also had 407 digs (3.04 digs per game) and had a hitting percentage of .273, which ranked 8th in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
Margeaux Sinibaldi, a 5-6 libero for the University of Tampa, is a junior from Venice, Fla. Sinibaldi dug 606 balls, an average of 5.18 digs per game, and was a large part of the reason that the Spartans' opponents only hitting .134 this season. Sinibaldi, a two-time AVCA All-South Region honoree, helped her team to the Division II National Championship.
Kelsey Wackerman, a 5-11 setter/hitter from Truman State University, is a senior from Camdenton, Mo. For the second consecutive season, the two-time AVCA All-America selection led the nation with 15 triple-doubles, averaging 3.04 kills, 6.00 assists and 2.82 digs per game. For her career, Wackerman achieved over 1,000 kills, 1,000 assists and 1,000 digs.
Kari Wolford, a 5-11 outside hitter for the University of Minnesota Duluth, is a junior from Avon, Minn. The All-North Central Conference honoree averaged 3.97 kills and 3.46 digs per game this season, while adding a team-high 42 service aces. Wolford helped lead the Bulldogs to the North Central Region championship of the NCAA Division II Tournament, and a trip to the national semifinals.
Brooke Youngquist, a 5-9 outside hitter for Florida Gulf Coast University, is a junior from Fort Myers, Fla. Youngquist averaged 4.13 kills and 4.30 digs per game, recording 17 double-doubles, with four matches of at least 20 kills and 20 digs, including one in the NCAA Division II Tournament. She is the FGCU career leader in kills (861) and aces (79).
ADD 4 - 2006 AVCA Division II All-America Teams
AVCA All-America Third-Team
Erica Brick, a 5-7 setter for California State University Chico, is a sophomore from Laguna Niguel, Calif. Brick averaged 12.45 assists per game this season, 19th-best in NCAA Division II, and added 2.49 digs and a team leading 0.57 aces per game. The All-California Collegiate Athletic Association First-Team honoree helped lead her Wildcats to one of the best seasons in school history, finishing at 21-6, their best win total since 1993.
Carlie Christensen, a 6-0 middle blocker for the University of Nebraska at Omaha, is a junior from Omaha, Neb. The two-time All-North Central Conference selection led the conference in hitting percentage (.375), was second in blocks (1.19 per game) and fifth in kills (3.61 per game). Christensen helped lead the Mavericks to a 21-7 record and a trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Chandra Ginest, a 5-9 setter for Florida Gulf Coast University, is a sophomore from Fort Morgan, Colo. Ginest averaged 13.33 assists per game, sixth-best in NCAA Division II, and led her team to a .299 hitting percentage, second best in the country. Ginest set the school record for assists in FGCU's third match, and now holds seven of the school's top ten assist totals for a single match, including the top two.
Mary Kate Glowe, a 5-9 outside hitter for Ashland University, is a junior from Avon Lake, Ohio. The All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) honoree averaged 4.83 kills per game, ranking her in the top ten in the country in Division II; she also averaged 3.87 digs and 0.60 aces per game. Glowe helped lead the Eagles to their first-ever GLIAC Tournament and NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region Championship this season.
Inga Kurgonaite, a 6-4 right side/opposite hitter for Lock Haven University, is a junior from Kaunas, Lithuania. The All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference selection was third in the conference in hitting percentage (.347), fifth in kills per game (3.59) and eighth in blocks per game (1.09). Kurgonaite helped lead the Lady Eagles to their fourth consecutive NCAA Division II Atlantic Region championship, and into the NCAA national quarterfinals.
Jordan McAfee, a 5-7 setter for Florida Southern College, is a senior from Lakeland, Fla. The two-time AVCA All-America honoree averaged 12.33 assists per game, 22nd-best in NCAA Division II, while leading her team to a .243 hitting percentage, 25th-best in the country; she also added 2.95 digs per game this season. McAfee, a two-time All-Sunshine State Conference selection, is the school's all-time assist leader.
Jillian Ohrman, a 6-0 middle blocker for the University of Central Missouri, is a junior from Independence, Mo. The All-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association First Team honoree hit .359, 21st-best in NCAA Division II, and averaged 3.96 kills and 1.13 blocks per game. Ohrman helped lead her team to the finals of the North Central Region of the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Courtney Schneider, a 5-9 libero for Western Washington University, is a junior from Snohomish, Wash. Schneider averaged 7.66 digs per game this season, setting a new NCAA Division II single-season record, while leading the Great Northwest Conference in that statistic for the third straight season. The school's career record holder for digs, and second in conference all-time, Schneider also set a school and league single-match record with 49 digs this year.
Nicole Schwab, a 5-11 middle blocker for Fort Lewis College, is a junior from Loveland, Colo. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Player of the Year ranked eighth in Division II with an average of 1.47 block per game, and added an average of 4.20 kills per game, hitting .336. Schwab's blocks per game, kills per game and hitting percentage set school single-season records, as well as her total kills (496), and total blocks (174).
Megan Stout, a 5-11 right side/opposite hitter for the University of North Alabama, is a senior from Montgomery, Ala. The All-Gulf South Conference selection hit .294, while averaging 3.16 kills, 1.65 digs and 0.74 blocks per game. Stout, a three-time AVCA All-South Central Region honoree, helped lead the Lions to a runner-up finish in the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Katie Tarka, a 5-9 libero for the University of Central Missouri, is a senior from St. Charles, Mo. The All-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association First Team selection led the conference in digs per game (6.78), which was also top ten in NCAA Division II. Now first in the conference and second nationally in career digs, Tarka logged 13 matches this season with at least 30 digs.
Jenna Von Moos, a 5-10 setter for Seattle Pacific University, is a senior from Stanwood, Wash. The third player in Great Northwest Conference history to record over 4,000 career assists averaged 13.09 helpers this season, eighth-best in NCAA Division II. The school's all-time leader in assists, Von Moos helped lead the Falcons to their best season winning percentage in school history.
AVCA Division II National Freshman of the Year
Maggie McNamara, a 5-9 setter for Concordia University-St. Paul, is a freshman from Zumbrota, Minn. McNamara led the nation in assists per game at 15.09, dishing out 1,977 total helpers, and led her team to a .280 hitting percentage, eighth-best in NCAA Division II. The 1,977 total assists is an NCAA Division II record in the 30-point scoring format era, while the 15.09 assists per game are the Division II record in any format. McNamara is also an AVCA All-America Second Team selection.