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 Lindsay Fletemier, Dayton |
Dec. 17, 2008
OMAHA, Neb. - After leading the Saint Louis volleyball team to one of its best seasons in program history, junior Sammi McCloud was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America third-team, it was announced today.
McCloud is the first-ever Billiken ever to earn a spot on one of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America teams. Fellow SLU juniors Whitney Behrens, Bridget Fonke and Whitney Roth earned honorable mention plaudits to give SLU multiple All-Americans in a single season for the first time in program history. In addition, junior Lindsay Fletemier of Dayton garnered honorable mention honors.
"I couldn't be happier for Sammi," head coach Anne Kordes said. "This is a tribute to all of her hard work and to her belief in herself to be the best. Sammi has trained hard ever since she's been at SLU, and she's progressed into one of the best volleyball players in the country."
Earlier this season, McCloud became the first SLU player to be named Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year after guiding the Bills to their second A-10 regular-season title in the last three seasons. The versatile 6-foot-2 right-side hitter finished the season ranked second on the team with 421 kills, 61 assists, 37 service aces, 336 digs and 76 blocks. She was an A-10 first team selection for the second straight season after garnering a league-high and program-best four Player of the Week honors. McCloud was also named Sport Imports/AVCA Division I National Player of the Week on Sept. 8 after guiding the Bills to a 3-1 win over then-No. 3 Stanford. The three-time A-10 All-Championship team pick finished the 2008 campaign among the top 10 in the league in kills, points and service aces per set as well as hitting percentage. McCloud ranks ninth on Saint Louis' career kills (1,100) and points (1302.0) charts, and is 12th on the block assists list (200).
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Behrens, a 5-foot-4 libero, finished the 2008 campaign ranked third on SLU's career digs chart (1,344). She has led the team in digs every season as the Billikens' starting libero since the 2006 campaign. Behrens, who was named to the A-10 All-Championship team, also earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District first team and Academic All-Conference honors in 2008. She posted double-digit digs in 21 matches this season.
Fonke, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter, turned in match highs of 16 and 26 kills in Saint Louis' two NCAA Tournament matches in addition to posting a career-high 25 digs in the season finale vs. Michigan. Two weeks prior, she was selected Most Outstanding Player of the A-10 Championship after registering match highs of 14 and 16 kills to lead the Bills to their second league tournament crown. The A-10 first team pick led SLU with 424 kills, 47 service aces and 12 double-doubles and finished second in the A-10 in kills, points and service aces per set. Fonke collected double-digit kills in a team-high 26 matches in 2008. She ranks ninth on the program's career aces list (110) and 13th on the career kills list (907).
Roth, a 5-foot-9 three-year starting setter, was recognized as a member of the 2008 All-Region squad after capturing honorable mention plaudits a year ago. The two-time A-10 Setter of the Year and three-time All-Championship team designee became SLU's career assists leader (4,294) during the third week of the regular season. She finished the season with a league-best 11.11 assists per set, which also ranks 22nd nationally. Roth, who recorded seven double-doubles in 2008, helped the Billikens establish a new program standard for hitting percentage (.263) for the second straight season.
Fletemier, a 6-foot-6 middle blocker, posted 3.26 kills per set this season for a team leading .342 hitting percentage. In addition, Fletemier tallied 130 blocks this season, averaging 1.04 per set.
"I think she is excited and motivated for an even bigger year next year. That is something we are all looking forward to," said Dayton head coach Kelly Sheffield.
Dayton finished its season with a first round appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Flyers were 11-2 in the Atlantic 10 and 21-13 overall.
Each of the three AVCA All-America Teams is comprised of 14 athletes. The Division I AVCA National Player of the Year will be announced on Dec. 19 at the AVCA All-America/Players of the Year Banquet. The selections were made by the AVCA Division I All-America Committee: chair - Debbie Kirch, Green Bay; Andy Banachowski, UCLA; Keylor Chan, Northwestern; Joe Getzin, Mississippi; Barry Goldberg, American; Christy Johnson, Iowa State; Mike Jordan, New Mexico State; Jolene Nagel, Duke. The AVCA Awards Chair is New Hampshire head volleyball coach Jill Hirschinger.
