Nov. 26, 2007

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Western Washington University libero Courtney Schneider was named to the first-team and outside hitter Jaime Anderson and middle blocker Tiana Roma received honorable mention on the American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division II All-American Volleyball Team announced today.

A senior from Snohomish, Schneider was a third-team AVCA All-American last year. She took the national digs per game title for the second straight year with a 7.58 average.

Schneider is just the fourth player in school history, and the third since Western became a NCAA II member, to receive first-team All-America honors. The other two NCAA II selections were libero Nicola Parker, who was a Daktronics choice in 2003, and setter Liz Bishop, who was an AVCA pick in 2002. Outside hitter Lorrie Post was a first-team NAIA All-American in 1990.

Schneider, who has broken her own school and Great Northwest Athletic Conference season records with 750 digs, ranks third among NCAA II career leaders in that category with 2,594. Her career digs per game average of 6.94 is nearly one dig per game better than the current national record.

Schneider was the 2007 GNAC Player of the Year, also being a first-team AVCA and Daktronics all-region and league all-star, all for the third time.

Anderson, a senior from SeaTac (graduate of Mount Rainier High School) leads the team in kills with 393 (3.97), is third in digs (317, 3.20) and fourth in blocks (67, 0.68). She was a first-team AVCA Pacific Region all-star and a second-team choice to both the Daktronics regional and league all-star squads.

A junior from Edmonds (graduate of Edmonds-Woodway High School), Roma was a first-team AVCA Pacific Region and GNAC all-star. She leads the Vikings with a .358 attack percentage, while being second in blocks (93, 0.94) and third in kills (291, 2.94).

Western, ranked No.15 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 Poll, is 24-4 overall and riding a 19-match winning streak.

The Vikings won the Pacific Regional title with a sweep of No.3 Cal State San Bernardino in the championship match and are making the school's first trip to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight where they meet Dowling NY in the quarterfinals on Thursday (3 p.m. PT) at Topeka, Kan.

Western captured the GNAC title with a 17-1 record.

2007 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 27th annual AVCA All-America teams for NCAA Division II women's volleyball.

University of Minnesota Duluth right side/opposite hitter Vicky Braegelmann was selected to the AVCA First-Team All-America for the fourth consecutive season, becoming only the second player in the history of the AVCA Division II All-America program to achieve that feat. Portland State University's Lynda Johnson was the first, garnering first-team honors from 1982-1985. Southwest Minnesota State University outside hitter Erin Contons is the only other selection to make at least three AVCA All-America teams; Contons was a second-team selection in 2005 and 2006. Katelen Dixon, an outside hitter for University of Tampa, earned her second consecutive first-team selection this season.

The 2007 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.

2007 AVCA DIVISION II FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICA

Melissa Bartlett, Hillsdale, OH, Sr., 5-10, Chatham, Ontario
Vicky Braegelmann*$!, Minnesota Duluth, RS/Opp., Sr., 6-0, Albany, MN
Erin Clark, Tampa, MB, Sr., 5-11, Tampa, FL
Erin Contons % ^, Southwest Minnesota State, OH, Sr., 5-10, Apple Valley, MN
Katelen Dixon*, Tampa, OH, Sr., 5-10, Clearwater, FL
Jessica Granados, Cal State San Bernardino, RS/Opp., Jr., 6-0, Beaumont, CA
Liz Holmes, Northern Kentucky, MB, Sr., 5-10, Cincinnati, OH
Tessa Jones@, Washburn, RS/Opp., Sr., 6-1, Lee's Summitt, MO
Maggie McNamara%, Concordia-St. Paul, S, So., 5-9, Zumbrota, MN
Courtney Schneider&, Western Washington, L, Sr., 5-9, Snohomish, WA
Margeaux Sinibaldi%, Tampa, DS/Lib., Sr., 5-6, Venice, FL
Kari Wolford%, Minnesota Duluth, OH, Sr., 5-11, Avon, MN

2007 AVCA DIVISION II SECOND-TEAM ALL-AMERICA

Pamela Cartagena, Pittsburg State, OH, So., 5-7, Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Allie Cherven, Truman State, MB, Jr., 6-1, St. Charles, MO
Carlie Christensen&, Nebraska Omaha, MB, Sr., 6-0, Omaha, NE
Sharea Drawn, Cal State San Bernardino, MB, Sr., 6-0, Sun City, CA
Katie Gangelhoff%, Minnesota Duluth, S, Jr., 5-8, South St. Paul, MN
Ashley Martin%, Florida Southern, RS/Opp., Jr., 6-1, St. Petersburg, FL
Monica Miesner^, Washburn, OH, Jr., 5-11, Florissant, MO
Jillian Ohrman&, Central Missouri, MB, Sr., 6-0, Independence, MO
Allyson Riley*, Grand Valley State, DS/Lib., Sr., 5-9, Battle Creek, MI
Emily Schroeder%, Wayne State (Neb.), MB, Sr., 5-11, Belden, NE
Beverly Stasis, Florida Southern, OH, Sr., 5-9, Clearwater, FL
Lindsay Tye, Ferris State, OH, Sr., 5-10, Gregory, MI

2007 AVCA DIVISION II THIRD-TEAM ALL-AMERICA

Danielle Alexander, Grand Valley State, MB, Jr., 5-11, Newport, MI
Mallory Clements, Southern Illinois. Edwardsville, S, Jr., 6-0, Mt. Pulaski, IL
Renata da Silva, California Univ. of Penn., S/H, So., 5-8, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Alyssa Given, Seattle Pacific, OH, Sr., 5-10, Salinas, CA
Alisha Green, Tampa, MB, So., 6-2, Country Club Hills, IL
Sara Hoffman, Cal State San Bernardino, S, So., 5-6, San Clemente, CA
Melissa Keck, Truman State University, RS/Opp., Jr., 6-0, Belleville, IL
Justyna Michon, Dowling (N.Y.), OH, Sr., 5-10, Katowice, Poland
Ashley Nachreiner, Minnesota State, Mankato, OH, Jr., 6-0, Round Rock, TX
Luciana Rapach, West Florida, RS/Opp., Jr., 5-9, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Maria Steinhagen, Concordia-St. Paul, MB, Jr., 5-10, Alexandria, MN
Lynsey Warren, Ashland (Ohio),S,, Sr., 6-1, Worthington, OH

* indicates 2006 AVCA First-Team All-America selection
% indicates 2006 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection
& indicates 2006 AVCA Third-Team All-America selection
$ 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

2007 AVCA Division II Freshman of the Year: Emily Palkert, Concordia University-St. Paul, MB

2007 AVCA Division II Player of the Year: announced November 28, 2007

2007 AVCA Division II Honorable Mention All-America

Lacie Allen (Central Oklahoma, DS/Lib., Sr.)
Jaime Anderson (Western Washington, OH, Sr.)
Rebecca Bailey (UC San Diego, OH, Jr.)
Ann Casado (Georgian Court, OH, Jr.)
Melissa DeLuca (Wingate, S, Sr.)
Cammy Dranginis (Northwest Nazarene, MB, So.)
Kristina Eisenmenger (Northern Kentucky, RS/Opp., Jr.)
Natalie Forbes (Northern Kentucky, S, Jr.)
Tiffany Garry (Bryant, S/H, Sr.)
Vicky Gentile (Clarion, DS/Lib., Sr.)
Mary Kate Glowe (Ashland, OH, Sr.)
Likica Grceva (Bryant, OH, Sr.)
Audrey Jensen (Central Missouri, DS/Lib., Sr.)
Vivian Lacy (Tusculum, OH, Sr.)
Lindsay Macias (Chico State, OH, Jr.)
Brittany McGowan (Northern Michigan, S/H, Sr.)
Sam Mitchell (Mount Olive, OH, Sr.)
Edith Musebe (Henderson State, MB, Sr.)
Jenna Newman (Edinboro, MB, Sr.)
Rhe-Ann Niles (New Haven, MB, Jr.)
Joanna Nist (California [Pa.], OH, So.)
Michelle Nogueras (Saint Leo, S/H, So.)
Camilla Pagnan (Barry, OH, Jr.)
Danielle Palasak (North Alabama, OH, Sr.)
Emily Palkert, (Concordia-St. Paul, MB, Fr.)
Katie Rickwartz (West Texas A&M, S, So.)
Daris Rodriguez (Lynn, MB, Jr.)
Tiana Roma (Western Washington, MB, Jr.)
Gabriela Saade (Tampa, S, Jr.)
Christina Sadowski (Bentley, MB, Sr.)
Amber Santavy (California [Pa.], OH, Sr.)
Rachael Schurman (Central Washington, MB, Jr.)
Arica Shepard (Emporia State, OH, So.)
Mary Slinger (Concordia-St. Paul, DS/Lib., So.)
Erica Vandekopple (Grand Valley State, MB, Sr.)
Sammie Williams (Pittsburg State, RS/Opp., Jr.)
Vanessa Williams (Cal Poly Pomona, MB, Jr.)
Anicia Wood (New Haven, MB, Sr.)
Sarah Wyffels (Minnesota Duluth, MB, So.)