Nov. 14, 2007

Daktronics All-Stars 2001-07

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Western Washington University libero Courtney Schneider (Sr., Snohomish) was a first-team selection for the third straight year and outside hitter Jaime Anderson (Sr., SeaTac/Mount Rainier) was a second-team pick on the Daktronics Pacific Region Volleyball All-Star Team released today.

Schneider is well on her way to being the NCAA Division II national leader in digs per game for the second straight year. Her 7.70 average is on pace to break the national record she set last season, and her 678 total digs broke the school and Great Northwest Athletic Conference mark of 666 that she established in 2006.

Schneider, who was named GNAC Player of the Year earlier this week, has had 20 or more digs 22 times this season, breaking her own GNAC record, and ranks sixth among NCAA II career leaders with 2,522. Her career average of 6.95 will break the national record by nearly one dig per game.

Anderson leads Western in points (424) and kills (4.03). She is third in digs (277) and service aces (32) and fourth in blocks (59).

Western finished the regular season with a 21-4 record, winning its last 16 matches, and captured the GNAC title with a 17-1 mark. The Vikings earned the No.2 seed at the NCAA Pacific Regional, which begins Thursday, and are ranked No.24 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 Poll.

2007 Daktronics Pacific Region Volleyball All-Star Team

Granados Selected NCAA Division II Pacific Region Player-of-the-Year

SPOKANE, WA - Right side hitter Jessica Granados of Cal State San Bernardino has been selected the Daktronics Pacific Region Volleyball Player-of-the-Year.

Granados received 10 first-place votes from the panel of 20 Pacific Region sports information directors and outpointed Western Washington libero Courtney Schneider 38-18. Seattle Pacific outside hitter Alyssa Given finished third with 15 points. Both Schneider and Given received three first-place votes.

Granados, who was a unanimous selection at right side hitter, was one of three Cal State San Bernardino players named to the seven-woman first team all-region team. Joining Granados on the first team were CSUSB middle blocker Sharea Drawn and Coyote setter Sara Hoffman.

Also earning first team honors were Given, Schneider, UC San Diego outside hitter Rebecca Bailey and Hawaii Hilo middle blocker Fabiane Sebene. Schneider earned first team honors for the third year in a row, while Given and Granados were repeat selections. Bailey and Drawn moved up to the first team after earning second team honors last season. Drawn was also a second-team selection in 2005.

Chico State led the second team selections placing two players - outside hitter Lindsay Macias and setter Erica Brick - on the all-star squad. Also named to the second team were outside hitter Jaime Anderson of Western Washington, middle blockers Antoinette Kathol of Cal Poly Pomona and Cammy Dranginis of Northwest Nazarene, UC San Diego right side hitter Amber Ries and Sonoma State libero Taylor Manton. Kathol earned first team honors a year ago.

Players selected to the region first team will be listed on the Daktronics All-American national ballot. The All-American team will be announced Nov. 28.

2007 DAKTRONICS PACIFIC REGIONAL VOLLEYBALL ALL-STAR TEAM

First Team

*Alyssa Given, Seattle Pacific Outside Hitter 5-10 Sr. Salinas, CA

+Rebecca Bailey, UC San Diego Outside Hitter 5-9 Jr. Escondido, CA

++Sharea Drawn, Cal State San Bernardino Middle Blocker 6-0 Sr. Sun City, CA

Fabiane Seben, Hawaii Hilo Middle Blocker 6-1 So. Caxias Do Sul, Brazil

*Jessica Granados, Cal State San Bernardino Right Side Hitter 6-0 Jr. Beaumont, CA

Sara Hoffman, Cal State San Bernardino Setter 5-6 So. San Clemente, CA

**Courtney Schneider, Western Washington Libero 5-9 Sr. Snohomish, WA

Second Team

Lindsay Macias, Chico State Outside Hitter 5-11 Jr. Irvine, CA

Jaime Anderson, Western Washington Outside Hitter 6-0 Sr. SeaTac, WA

*Antoinette Kathol, Cal Poly Pomona Middle Blocker 6-2 Sr. Sierra Madre, CA

Cammy Dranginis, Northwest Nazarene Middle Blocker 6-0 So. Nampa, ID

Amber Ries, UC San Diego Right Side Hitter 6-1 Sr. La Verne, CA

Erica Brick, Chico State Setter 5-6 Jr. Laguna Biguel, CA

Taylor Manton, Sonoma State Libero 5-9 Sr. Santa Rosa, CA

*First team in 2006 **First team in 2005 & 2006 +Second Team in 2006 ++Second team in 2005 & 2006