Wingate Places Four On Academic All-District Volleyball Team

BRISTOL, Conn.----The Wingate University volleyball team placed four student-athletes on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All District III teams, released Thursday afternoon. Junior middle blocker Stormi Gale (Richmond, Texas) earns first team honors for the second consecutive year.

Senior defensive specialist Chelsea Cancelliere (Richboro, Pa.) and junior middle blocker Rebecca Bloemer (Louisville, Ky.) earn second team honors, while sophomore setter Liz Willis (Raleigh, N.C.) is a third team selection. Both Cancelliere and Bloemer are also repeat performers, as they were first team picks in 2008.

The members of the College Sports Information Directors of America selected the Wingate quartet for these honors. Nineteen student-athletes were named to either the first, second or third ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III volleyball team (college division). The seven first team members will advance to the national ballot.

Stormi Gale

Chelsea Cancelliere

Rebecca Bloemer

Liz Willis

The District III College Division consists of all non-NCAA Division I colleges and universities in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina and Virginia. To be nominated, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore with a 3.3 cumulative grade point average and must be a starter or a significant reserve on her team.

Wingate's four representatives are the most of any school in District III. "We are very proud of the fact that our team wins on the court and has such an excellent reputation as students as well," Wingate head coach Shelton Collier says. "We have a number of other players who excel in the classroom. These four players were very fortunate in being honored with this award."

"Everyone in our program is pleased when we can bring positive attention to Wingate athletics, either by winning matches or doing well off the court," Collier adds. "I know this award means very much for each one of the four players, especially with them studying in very challenging academic majors. We are so appreciative of our sports information personnel for their consistently excellent efforts in helping our student-athletes receive these prestigious awards."

A first team selection as a sophomore in 2008, Gale adds this distinction to her many career achievements. A two-time first team All-South Atlantic Conference selection, Gale has a 3.61 GPA in Biology. She was also an All-Region selection and honorable mention All-American in 2008, while taking home MVP honors at the Food Lion SAC Tournament.

This year, Gale leads the SAC with 3.71 kills per set and a .320 hitting percentage. She has collected double-digit kills 20 times this year, while notching six double-doubles. After piling up 22 kills and 17 digs against Newberry, she collected 17 kills at Carson-Newman, then a career-high 24 kills at Lincoln Memorial.

Cancelliere earns Academic All-District honors for the third time in her career. A Sport Management major, Cancelliere sports a 3.98 GPA. One of Wingate's team leaders, Cancelliere helps anchor a defense that leads the SAC in opponents' hitting percentage and ranks ninth nationally in digs per set.

Cancelliere collected her 1,000th career dig in Wingate's 3-0 win over Newberry last Saturday. This season, she is fourth on the team with 2.41 digs per set, while collecting double-digit digs in seven times on the year.

The 2009 season is the second time in Bloemer's career she has been selected to the Academic All-District Team. She has a 3.95 GPA in Communication Studies. A first team all-SAC and All-Freshman selection in 2007, Bloemer is averaging 1.96 kills per set, while hitting .262 this year. She had 10 kills and eight digs in Wingate's key regional victory over Flagler College. Bloemer had 15 kills in the 3-2 win at Lincoln Memorial.

Willis earns Academic All-District accolades for the first time in her career. She is one of only three sophomores among the District III selections. Willis has a 3.78 GPA in Biology. The South Atlantic Conference and Southeast Region Freshman of the Year in 2008, Willis leads the SAC with 10.36 assists per set.

In addition to topping the 2009 SAC assist charts, Willis also leads the Bulldogs with 10 double-doubles this season. Willis had 54 assists and 11 digs in the 3-2 win at Lincoln Memorial. She had 30 assists, 13 digs and five kills in the 3-0 victory at Catawba, while compiling 46 assists and 11 digs in the 3-0 home win over Catawba.

The Bulldogs are the number 23 team in this week's AVCA top 25 poll. The top-ranked team in the NCAA Division II Southeast Region, Wingate is 29-1 overall and riding a 17-match winning streak. The Bulldogs clinched their fourth consecutive SAC regular season title Saturday, while also winning their 44th straight SAC contest.

Wingate has won 73 of its last 75 regular season matches. The Bulldogs are 93-5 overall since the beginning of the 2007 season. The corresponding .949 winning percentage ranks second in all of Division II. In 30 matches this season, the Bulldogs have won 89 sets, while dropping only 10. Of Wingate's 29 victories, 24 have been won in three sets.

The Bulldogs will host second place Carson-Newman Friday night at 7 p.m. Wingate will host third place Lincoln Memorial Saturday, honoring four seniors on Senior Day. The following weekend, the Bulldogs will try to notch their fourth straight Food Lion SAC Tournament title in Greeneville, Tenn. Wingate has already earned the top seed in the tournament.

Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000's with 34 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate's 43 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.

College Division District III
FIRST TEAM
Name School Hometown GPA Major
Rebecca Bradford VIRGINIA WESLEYAN Virginia Beach, Va. 4.00 Recreation & leisure studies
Elise Burke FLORIDA SOUTHERN Gainesville, Fla. 4.00 Mathematics
Stormi Gale WINGATE Richmond, Texas 3.61 Biology
Jamie Lancaster ANDERSON (SC) Fountain Inn, S.C. 4.00 Parks & rec. / sport management
Kaitlin McKenna SAINT LEO Farmington Hills, Mich. 3.84 Accounting
Melissa Vanderhall TAMPA Hempstead, N.Y. 3.56 Allied health
Devon Woolard LYNN Delray Beach, Fla. 4.00 Business administration

SECOND TEAM
Name School Hometown GPA Major
Rebecca Bloemer WINGATE Louisville, Ky. 3.95 Communication studies
Julia Borecka FLORIDA SOUTHERN Jaworze, Poland 3.71 Biology
Chelsea Cancelliere WINGATE Richboro, Pa. 3.98 Sport management
Kaleigh Cunningham TAMPA Winter Park, Fla. 3.74 Communications
Samara Ferreira BARRY Sao Paulo, Brazil 3.97 Biology / pre-medicine
Sophie Gagnon LYNN St.-Georges, Quebec 3.77 Biology
Camille Hanks TAMPA Dexter, Mich. 3.93 Psychology / English
Lacy Redwine LYNN New Braunfels, Texas 3.86 Business administration
Lindsey Spears VIRGINIA WESLEYAN Virginia Beach, Va. 4.00 Communications

THIRD TEAM
Name School Hometown GPA Major
Allison Regas SAVANNAH ART & DESIGN Jacksonville, Fla. 3.78 Interior design
Mackenzie Tingle NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN Clearbrook, Va. 3.54 Psychology / biology
Liz Willis WINGATE Raleigh, N.C. 3.78 Biology