2004 South Atlantic Conference Volleyball All-Conference Teams and Award Winners Announced

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Presbyterian College junior outside hitter Erin Friday, who led the South Atlantic Conference in kills per game and helped the Blue Hose to their second consecutive conference championship, was named the 2004 South Atlantic Conference Volleyball Player of the Year, the league announced today.

Friday was one of four Blue Hose players named to the All-Conference Team. Joining Friday on the First Team is junior middle blocker Jasmin Brown, who led the SAC in hitting percentage. Named to the Second Team were senior Donja Bobbitt and sophomore setter Erin Winchester, who led the SAC in assists per game.

Regular-season Co-champions Lenoir-Rhyne College also fared well in the league's post-season awards. Two players - senior middle blocker Rebekah Steinlin and junior outside hitter Leslie Hinkle were named to the First Team, while senior libero Brandi Rickert was Second Team. First-year standout setter Lauren McLelland was named the league's Freshman of the Year after finishing second in the league in assists per game. Lenoir-Rhyne second-year coach Dave Markland, who guided the Bears to their first-ever SAC volleyball championship, was named Coach of the Year.

Carson-Newman also has four members on the All-Conference Team, with senior middle blocker Jennifer Holmes and junior libero Blaire Young, who leads the SAC and the nation in digs per game, were named to the First Team. Kari Gibson and Kelli Sorensen were Second Team selections.

Catawba and Wingate each placed two on the All-Conference Team, with Catawba's senior middle hitter Crissie Harrison, who was second in the SAC in kills per game, a First-Team selection. Elizabeth Hewitt was a Second Team selection for Catawba. Wingate sophomore middle blocker Molly Kerns, who led the SAC in blocks per game, and sophomore outside hitter Danielle Thompson were both named to the Second Team.

Mars Hill senior outside hitter Sarah Nash, who led the league in service aces per game, was also named to the First Team.

Joining McLelland on the All-Freshman Team were Tiffany Oreka of Mars Hill, Cara Coleman of Newberry, Lauren Mason from Presbyterian and Wingate's Melissa Deluca and Amanda Siegrist.

Newberry College's Amanda Van Pelt, a senior outside hitter/defensive specialist, was named the SAC Scholar Athlete for Volleyball. Van Pelt carries a 4.0 GPA as a Psychology major. She has received Newberry's Founder Scholar Award, the school's highest academic scholarship. She was a second team Academic All-American last year, and been a Class Marshall each year at Newberry.eyball.

On the court, Van Pelt is a two-year team captain. This year, she is third on the team in digs per game, averaging 2.44. She has also contributed 35 kills, 14 assists and 14 service aces.

Van Pelt has an extensive list of campus and community service achievements. She serves on the campus Conduct Review Board, participating in judicial hearings for students; is president of Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority; provides tutoring, mentoring and classroom assistance at Newberry Middle School; is a tutor for speech, psychology and statistics; and is a senior residence advisor, organizing dormwide community service efforts to aide burned children, Ronald McDonald House, hurricane relief and local nursing homes.

2004 SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE
VOLLEYBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS AND AWARD RECIPIENTS

ALL-SAC FIRST TEAM
Jennifer Holmes, Carson-Newman
Blaire Young, Carson-Newman (Libero)
Crissi Harrison, Catawba
Rebekah Steinlin, Lenoir-Rhyne
Leslie Hinkle, Lenoir-Rhyne
Sarah Nash, Mars Hill
Jasmin Brown, Presbyterian
Erin Friday, Presbyterian

ALL-SAC SECOND TEAM
Kari Gibson, Carson-Newman
Kelli Sorensen, Carson-Newman
Elizabeth Hewitt, Catawba
Brandi Rickert, Lenoir-Rhyne (Libero)
Donja Bobbitt, Presbyterian
Erin Winchester, Presbyterian
Molly Kerns, Wingate
Danielle Thompson, Wingate

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Lauren McLelland, Lenoir-Rhyne
Tiffany Oreka, Mars Hill
Cara Coleman, Newberry
Lauren Mason, Presbyterian
Melissa Deluca, Wingate
Amanda Siegrist, Wingate

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COACH OF THE YEAR: Dave Markland, Lenoir-Rhyne
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Lauren McLelland, Lenoir-Rhyne
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Erin Friday, Presbyterian
SAC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE: Amanda Van Pelt, Newberry

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STATISTICAL CHAMPIONS (through games of November 7)
Hitting Percentage - Jasmin Brown, Presbyterian, .383
Assists Per Game - Erin Winchester, Presbyterian, 13.19
Kills Per Game - Erin Friday, Presbyterian, 4.59
Blocks Per Game - Molly Kerns, Wingate, 1.40
Service Aces Per Game - Sarah Nash, Mars Hill, 0.51
Digs Per Game - Blaire Young, Carson-Newman, 6.77
Team Hitting Percentage - Presbyterian, .291
Team Assists Per Game - Presbyterian, 14.01
Team Kills Per Game - Presbyterian, 15.68
Team Winning Percentage - Lenoir-Rhyne, .800 (24-6)
Opponent Hitting Percentage - Lenoir-Rhyne, .145
Team Blocks Per Game - Wingate, 2.69
Team Service Aces Per Game - Mars Hill, 1.87
Digs Per Game - Tusculum, 22.83

SENIOR AWARDS

Carson-Newman
Melanie Templin
Jennifer Holmes

Catawba
Crystal Bonner
Kelly Burdeau
Crissi Harrison
Heather Hawkins
Elizabeth Hewitt
Hope Miller
Katie Moore
Betsi O' Shields

Mars Hill
Heather Connelly
Sarah Nash
Morgan Crisp
Holly Covington

Newberry
Amanda Van Pelt
Tiffany Walzer

Presbyterian
Donja Bobbitt
Ashley Wells

Tusculum
Kari Karns