Catawba’s Melissa Powers Named To AVCA All-America Team

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Catawba College senior middle hitter Melissa Powers (Bennett, NC/N. Moore HS), has been named to the 28th annual AVCA All-America team for NCAA Division II women's volleyball.

Powers, the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year, led Catawba this season in kills, blocks and aces. She is among the top 10 in the NCAA in kills per set at 4.30. In addition, Powers hit at a 30 percent clip. She was named to the AVCA All-America Third Team.

The senior ranked second in the SAC at 0.95 blocks per set and was eighth in aces at 0.36. In the season opener, Powers set a school record for kills in a match with 37. She also posted Catawba marks for kills in a season and career and was recently named the 2008 Daktronics Southeast Region Volleyball Player of the Year.

Concordia University-St. Paul setter Maggie McNamara and California State University, San Bernardino right side/opposite Jessica Granados are the only repeat First-Team selections from a year ago, with McNamara also nabbing Second-Team honors in 2006. Katie Gangelhoff of the University of Minnesota Duluth and Monica Miesner of Washburn University join McNamara as the only athletes to earn AVCA All-America honors three times - Gangelhoff was a Second-Team recipient in 2007 and a Third-Team honoree in 2006; Miesner earned Second-Team laurels in 2005 and 2007.

The 2008 All-America selections were made by the AVCA Division II All-America Committee: Laurie Lokash, Slippery Rock University, chairperson; Mario Andaya, Central Washington University; Christy Benner, Wheeling Jesuit University; Jim Boos, University of Minnesota Duluth; Todd Caughlin, St. Mary's University; Shelton Collier, Wingate University; Sandy Hoffman, Bentley College; Deanne Scanlon, Grand Valley State University; and Jill Stephens, Florida Southern College.

2008 AVCA Division II First-Team All-America

Player Institution Pos. Yr. Ht. Hometown
Danielle Alexander & Grand Valley State University MB Sr. 5-11 Newport, Michigan
Angie Alvord Western Washington University MB Sr. 6-0 Laurel, Washington
Katie Gangelhoff %^ University of Minnesota Duluth S Sr. 5-8 South St. Paul, Minnesota
Jessica Granados * California State San Bernardino RS/Opp. Sr. 6-1 Beaumont, California
Sara Hoffman & California State San Bernardino S Jr. 5-6 San Clemente, California
Linda Igbinigie Pittsburg State University MB Sr. 6-4 Richardson, Texas
Ting Liu Emporia State University S So. 6-1 Beijing, China
Maggie McNamara *^ Concordia University-St. Paul S Jr. 5-9 Zumbrota, Minnesota
Monica Miesner %! Washburn University OH Sr. 5-11 Florissant, Missouri
Rhe-Ann Niles University of New Haven MB Sr. 5-11 St. Thomas, Barbados
Emily Palkert Concordia University-St. Paul MB So. 5-11 Excelsior, Minnesota
Laura Prinsen West Texas A&M University RS/Opp. Jr. 5-9 Spring, Texas
Melissa Vanderhall University of Tampa OH So. 5-9 Hempstead, New York
Jeri Walkowiak University of Nebraska-Kearney MB So. 5-11 Grand Island, Nebraska

2008 AVCA Division II Second-Team All-America

Player Institution Pos. Yr. Ht. Hometown
Ludmila Amaral California of Pennsylvania MB Jr. 6-0 Sao Paulo, Brazil
Jamie Ashmore Grand Valley State University S Sr. 5-9 LaPorte, Indiana
Rhea Cardwell University of Alaska-Anchorage OH Sr. 5-10 Prineville, Oregon
Allie Cherven % Truman State University MB Sr. 6-1 St. Charles, Missouri
Natalie Forbes Northern Kentucky University S Sr. 5-9 Fort Thomas, Kentucky
Whitney Meierotto Concordia University-St. Paul OH Sr. 5-8 Washburn, Wisconsin
Camilla Pagnan Barry University OH Sr. 5-10 Morra da Fumaca, Brazil
Valia Petrova Nova Southeastern University S Sr. 5-10 Sofia, Bulgaria
Luciana Rapach & The University of West Florida RS/Opp. Sr. 5-9 Porto Alegre, Brazil
Whitney Sanders North Alabama MB Sr. 6-1 Haleyville, Alabama
Mary Slinger Concordia University-St. Paul DS/Lib. Jr. 5-8 Faribault, Minnesota
Maria Steinhagen & Concordia University-St. Paul MB Sr. 5-10 Alexandria, Minnesota
Vanessa Williams Cal Poly Pomona MB Sr. 6-1 Riverside, California
Sarah Wyffels University of Minnesota Duluth MB Jr. 5-10 Marshall, Minnesota

2008 AVCA Division II Third-Team All-America

Player Institution Pos. Yr. Ht. Hometown
Rebecca Bailey California, San Diego OH Sr. 5-9 Escondido, California
Gabriela Bulawcyzk California State, Los Angeles OH Jr. 6-1 Sulechow, Poland
Pamela Cartagena % Pittsburg State University OH Jr. 5-7 Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Renata da Silva & California of Pennsylvania S Jr. 5-8 Sao Paulo, Brazil
Danielle Higginbotham Florida Southern College MB Sr. 6-1 Tallahassee, Florida
Jessica Howe Regis University OH So. 6-0 Pueblo, Colorado
Kasey Loeslie Southwest Minnesota State Univ. MB Sr. 6-1 Tracy, Minnesota
Eli Medina Truman State University OH Sr. 5-8 Kansas City, Missouri
Ashley Nachreiner & Minnesota State University OH Sr. 5-11 Round Rock, Texas
Michelle Nogueras Saint Leo University S Jr. 5-8 Cayey, Puerto Rico
Melissa Powers Catawba College MB Sr. 5-10 Bennett, North Carolina
Arica Shepard Emporia State University OH Jr. 5-9 Rossville, Kansas
Andrea Tuck Adams State College OH Jr. 6-0 Erie, Colorado
Sammie Williams Pittsburg State University RS/Opp. Sr. 6-1 Blue Springs, Missouri

* indicates 2007 AVCA First-Team All-America selection
% indicates 2007 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection
& indicates 2007 AVCA Third-Team All-America selection
$ 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 Second-Team All-America selection
2008 AVCA Division II Freshman of the Year: Maja Potpara, Dowling College, S
2008 AVCA Division II Player of the Year: Maggie McNamara, Concordia-St. Paul, S