Eight Volleyball Players Earn AVCA All-Region Honors

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Eight volleyball players from the South Atlantic Conference have been named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Region team, while Wingate University head coach Shelton Collier was named region coach of the year and Tusculum College's Ashley Sarmiento was named the region Freshman of the Year.

Named to the 14-person All-Southeast Region team from the SAC were Lauren Billo, Stormi Gale and Liz Willis from Wingate University; Sarmiento and Caitlyn Dean from Tusculum; Jamie Lancaster from Anderson University; Carly Mozgai from Carson-Newman College; and Lauren Kiwacka from Lincoln Memorial University.

Four more were earned honorable mention honors from the AVCA: Kaitlyn Whitmer (Catawba), Alyssa Raterman (Tusculum), Nikki James (Carson-Newman) and Ashley Knight (Lincoln Memorial).

Wingate University

Stormi Gale	Lauren Billo
Liz Willis	Ashley Sarmiento
Caitlyn Dean	Alyssa Raterman
Carly Mozgai	Nikki James
Jamie Lancaster	Lauren Kiwacka
Ashley Knight	Kaitlyn Whitmer

Wingate University senior middle blocker Stormi Gale (Richmond, Texas), senior outside hitter Lauren Billo (Orland Park, Ill.) and junior setter Liz Willis (Raleigh, N.C.) have been named to the AVCA All-Region team, officials announced this week. The trio all earned All-Region honors in 2009 as well, while Willis and Gale earn AVCA accolades for the third consecutive year.

The group has led Wingate on a remarkable stretch over the last four years, guiding Wingate to its first-ever regional title last weekend in Cuddy Arena. The Bulldogs will travel to Louisville, Ky. next week to become the first SAC volleyball team to ever play in the Elite Eight. The 'Dogs are 31-1 overall, riding a nation's best 29-match wining streak. The .969 winning percentage leads all of Division II. Wingate's 131-7 overall record since Gale and Billo arrived on campus in 2007 is good for a .949 winning percentage, which also leads the nation.

Gale is only the second player in South Atlantic Conference history to earn league Player of the Year honors twice. The 2009 Region Player of the Year also became the first player in league history to earn first team All-American honors in 2009. The four-time first team All-SAC selection has also earned MVP honors at the Food Lion SAC Tournament twice in her career, including the 2010 tournament. The 2010 crown was the fifth consecutive tournament title for the Bulldogs.

Gale leads the SAC with a .369 hitting percentage, while ranking fourth with 3.26 kills per set, third with 1.02 blocks per set and eighth with 0.28 aces per set. She has 12 double-doubles on the season and 42 in her illustrious career. Gale had double-digit kills in 20 of her 31 matches played in 2010. She has collected a career-high 292 digs this season, good for an average of 2.83 digs per set. Gale's dig total ranks third on the team. Her 105 blocks this year are the most since her freshman season.

Gale has left her mark all over the Wingate record books. She has 1,541 career kills, which ranks second on the all-time charts. She needs 40 more kills for the school record. Her career mark of 3.54 kills per set is a school record. Gale's 161 aces rank sixth all-time, while three more aces would put her in fourth on the all-time charts. Her 376 career block assists ranks third on the career list.

Billo has also piled up the awards in her career. She has been named to the All-SAC team each of the last three seasons, while earning first team honors in 2009 and 2010. She earns first team All-Region honors for the second consecutive year. Billo was an honorable mention All-American in 2009, when she led the SAC in hitting percentage and ranked second in kills per set.

Billo is third on the team with 2.65 kills per set, while hitting .250. She has collected double-digit kills nine times in 2010. She has notched a pair of double-doubles this season. Billo had 14 kills and no errors in 17 swings at Lenoir-Rhyne, good for an .824 hitting percentage. That mark is the second highest in SAC history with at least 15 attacks. She racked up 16 kills and 15 digs in the win over Catawba. Billo had 12 kills and 10 digs in the victory over Tusculum. She collected 16 kills in the sweep over Carson-Newman in the SAC semifinals. Billo added 11 kills in the regional semifinal win over Montevallo.

Billo has collected a career-high 157 digs in 2010, averaging 1.65 digs per set. She also has 38 blocks in 2010, to go along with 14 aces. Billo has piled up 1,116 kills during her career. This mark puts her fifth on Wingate's all-time kills charts.

A three-time All-SAC selection, Willis has been an All-Region selection every year at Wingate. Willis is part of a two-setter attack at Wingate, helping the Bulldogs rank third nationally in assists and kills per set, while ranking ninth in hitting percentage. She averages 6.9 assists per set on the year, while ranking fourth on the team with 2.62 digs per set.

Willis has handed out 3,008 assists in her career, ranking fourth on Wingate's all-time list. She led the league in assists per set in her first two years with the Bulldogs. The 'Dogs have led the conference in assists, kills and hitting percentage each of the last three years with Willis as the setter. She has 10 double-doubles on the season and 34 for her career.

The three have helped Wingate put up some incredible numbers in 2010. The NCAA has team rankings for seven categories. The Bulldogs are in the top 10 in five categories, while ranking in the top 20 in six of the seven. Wingate leads the nation in winning percentage (.969), ranks third in kills per set (14.93), third in assists per set (14.07), seventh in digs per set (18.45) and ninth hitting percentage (.273). Wingate is 19th in the nation with 2.23 blocks per set.

Billo and Gale have been a part of the greatest four-year volleyball run in SAC history. Wingate went a perfect 64-0 in SAC play, while also going 12-0 in the SAC tournament during their four years. The Bulldogs have notched 20 more conference wins than any other team in the four-year stretch. The 'Dogs went 113-4 during the regular season with Billo and Gale.

The senior duo qualified for the NCAA Tournament all four seasons. The pair led Wingate to its first-ever NCAA victory in 2008. The Bulldogs made their first-ever regional title match in 2009, while this year they will appear in the Elite Eight for the first time.

Shelton Collier

Collier guided the Bulldogs to their fifth consecutive SAC regular season and tournament title, while also leading Wingate to its first-ever NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Collier wins the award for the third straight year.

Collier guided the Bulldogs to their fourth consecutive undefeated season in SAC play. Wingate has won a SAC record 64 consecutive league matches. The Bulldogs are 31-1 overall, leading the nation with a .969 winning percentage. They are currently riding a nation's best 29-match winning streak. Wingate has won at least 30 matches in each of the last four seasons. The 'Dogs are 131-7 overall since the start of the 2007 season, good for a nation's best .949 winning percentage.

Collier became the first coach in SAC history to be named the conference Coach of the Year four consecutive seasons. In his ninth season at Wingate, Collier has an overall record of 241-53. He is in his 29th year of coaching in his career with a record of 808-260. Collier has led the Bulldogs to six consecutive NCAA Division II tournament appearances and seven in the last eight years. Wingate has hosted the NCAA Southeast Regional tournament the past three seasons.

Collier's Wingate team is among the nation's best in nearly every statistical category. The NCAA has team rankings for seven categories. The Bulldogs are in the top 10 in five categories, while ranking in the top 20 in six of the seven. Wingate leads the nation in winning percentage (.969), ranks third in kills per set (14.93), third in assists per set (14.07), seventh in digs per set (18.45) and ninth hitting percentage (.273). Wingate is 19th in the nation with 2.23 blocks per set.

This year, the Bulldogs won their first NCAA Regional title in school history. They also became the first team in the history of SAC volleyball to earn a bid to the Elite Eight. Wingate has been the number one team in every NCAA Southeast regional poll since 2008. The Bulldogs won their first NCAA Tournament contest in 2008. Wingate went to the regional title match in 2009, while winning its first regional championship last weekend. The Bulldogs became the first team in SAC history in 2009 to earn an AVCA top 25 ranking. Wingate is currently 25th in the AVCA poll.

Wingate looks to continue its success in the Elite Eight. The Bulldogs will take on the University of Central Missouri in the national quarterfinals Thursday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. The national semifinals are Friday, Dec. 3, while the championship match is Saturday, Dec. 4. The national tournament will be held in Louisville, Ky.

Tusculum College

Tusculum College setter Ashley Sarmiento was named the 2010 Division II Southeast Region Freshman of the Year as selected by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Sarmiento and rookie libero/defensive specialist Caitlyn Dean were named to the AVCA All-Southeast Region team while sophomore middle blocker Alyssa Raterman garnered honorable mention recognition.

Sarmiento becomes the first Tusculum player in school history to earn AVCA Freshman of the Year accolades.

Sarmiento, a 5-11 native from Dayton, Ohio, led the South Atlantic Conference in assists, averaging 10.36 helpers per set. The 2010 SAC Freshman of the Year is 31st in the nation in assists, while leading the team with 14 double-doubles. The SAC All-Freshman Team selection has accounted for 1,256 assists, which are the fourth most in school history, while her assist average is also fourth best by a Pioneer. She was also named to the SAC All-Tournament Team and was twice named SAC Specialist of the Week. Sarmiento was also named to the Daktronics All-Southeast Region Team.

Dean, a 5-5 freshman from Fort Wayne, Ind., has posted one of the best defensive performances in NCAA II history. Dean currently leads the nation averaging 7.10 digs per set, which is a new school and league record and is on pace to be the third-best average in DII history. Her 845 digs this season are a new NCAA Division II record. The 2010 All-SAC First Team honoree has accounted for an amazing 13 matches with 30-plus digs. She has also been named to the SAC All-Freshman Team, SAC All-Tournament Team and was named SAC Specialist of the Week on two occasions. Dean was tabbed to the Daktronics All-Region First Team.

Raterman, a 6-1 native of Urbana, Ohio, earned All-SAC First Team honors this season as she finished second in the conference with her .350 hitting percentage, which is 36th in the nation and the second highest attack percentage in school history. Raterman is averaging 2.03 kills and 0.47 blocks per set. Earlier this season, she was also named the SAC Player of the Week.

The 2010 Pioneers, led by SAC Co-Coach of the Year Michael Robinson, recorded one of the most superb seasons in school history and the best since becoming a NCAA Division II member. Tusculum posted a 25-7 overall record, including 16-2 in SAC play to finish second in the conference. The 16 league wins are the most in school history as a South Atlantic Conference member (since 1999) as Tusculum advanced to the SAC Tournament Championship match for the first time in school history. TC also earned the program its second straight NCAA Tournament at-large berth.

Carson-Newman College

Carson-Newman senior outside hitter Carly Mozgai (Greensboro, N.C.) and junior middle hitter Nikki James (Cookeville, Tenn.) have earned several postseason accolades after leading the Lady Eagles to another successful season in 2010.

Mozgai and James helped guide C-N to a 20-11 record and a third straight berth to the NCAA Tournament. The Lady Eagles advanced to the Southeast Region semifinals for the second time in school history.

For her efforts, Mozgai has been named to the AVCA All-Southeast Region team.

"I am pleased to see all of Carly's hard work be recognized," C-N head coach Shannon Mincey said. "She was a dedicated young lady all throughout her career and always came back from summer break in tip-top shape ready for the season. Her main goal was for our team to be its best and daily she strived to make herself better so that she could help the team be better. Carly's example will be missed as she was always a teammate the other players could emulate through her work ethic and poise."

For the year, Mozgai broke several Carson-Newman single-season records. She finished the year with an average of 4.17 kills per set, which is first all-time, and tallied 480 kills, which ranks third all-time. She also left her mark in the C-N career records as she is now fourth in total career kills with 1,394 and fifth in total attack attempts with 3,500 for her career. She tallied double digit kills on 26 occasions this season, including a career high 29 kills against Catawba in the conference quarterfinals. Mozgai also had 10 double doubles for the season and produced 278 digs and 60 blocks.

James received AVCA All-Southeast Region honorable mention honors after finishing the year ranked first in the nation with an average of 1.73 blocks per set, which is a school record. She amassed 199 total blocks on the season as well as 329 kills and 116 digs. James recorded a career-high 12 blocks in a conference win over Anderson on Sept. 25 and she had a career-high 21 kills in C-N's win over Catawba in the conference quarterfinals.

"This is a great achievement for Nikki and for our team for her to be recognized," Mincey said. "Nikki has always been a very consistent blocker and just toward the end of our season she also became a threat offensively, gaining double-digit kills in most of our last matches. I have always appreciated Nikki's team spirit and her willingness to serve her teammates. Nikki will be one to watch next year and has so much potential for her and our team."

Anderson University

Anderson University senior volleyball outside hitter Jamie Lancaster has been named to the American Volleyball Coaches' Association All-Southeast Region team.

Lancaster earned First-Team All-South Atlantic Conference honors this season and was named the SAC Volleyball Scholar-Athlete. The Fointain Inn, S.C., native averaged 3.82 kills per set, which was second-best in the SAC and ranked in the top 10 in the league in hitting percentage and digs.

She was a second-team team CoSIDA Academic All-America selection in 2010 after garnering first-team recognition in 2009. Lancaster also earned SAC Player of the Week honors once during the season and wrapped up the season ranked 22nd nationally in kills per set (3.88) and posted match-highs in kills 22 times.

Lincoln Memorial University

Lincoln Memorial University senior Lauren Kiwacka has been named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division II Southeast All-Region Team. Fellow senior Ashley Knight was named honorable mention.

Kiwacka, a 6-0 rightside hitter / setter from Tipp City, Ohio, ends her LMU career as arguably the most versatile player in LMU history. She had 58 career double-doubles and twelve career triple-doubles while compiling 660 kills, 3,159 assists, 140 service aces, 1,164 digs and 250 total blocks. Career-wise she ranks first in sets played (479), fourth in assists (3,159), sixth in block assists (227), seventh in digs (1,164), eighth in service aces (140) and eighth in total blocks with 250. Her 65 assists vs. Kentucky Wesleyan on Sept. 15, 2007 are the highest in a single LMU match since the NCAA went to rally scoring in 2001. Kiwacka was second team All-SAC in 2009 and first team this season.

Knight, a 5-11 outside hitter from Palm Harbor, Florida, ends her career with 19 double-doubles, 1,034 kills, 52 service aces, 940 digs and 208 total blocks. She ranks fourth in reception percentage all-time (.931) and in a single season (.955 in 2010). She also ranks seventh in career kills (1,034), fourth in sets played (461), eighth in block assists (198) and tenth in total blocks with 208. In 2010 she was named second team All-South Atlantic Conference.

During the four-year careers of Kiwacka and Knight the Lady Railsplitters compiled a 87-47 record and made three appearances in the NCAA Tournament. This season they tied the record for the second highest win total in school history (23), tied the record for fewest losses in a season (8) and tied the record for highest winning percentage (.742) in a season. This year's team also set a new school record for conference wins with 12 and placed three players on all-conference teams. They also helped coach Mike Smith pick up his 350th career win.

Catawba College

Catawba sophomore outside hitter Kaitlyn Whitmer (Ferrum, VA/Franklin Co. HS) was named an honorable mention All-Region selection by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

Whitmer led Catawba this season with 309 kills and 17 aces. She was second on the team with 298 digs and 40 blocks. She posted double-digit kills in the final 11 matches and capped the year with a season-high 27 kills in a SAC Tournament loss to Carson-Newman.

AVCA All-Southeast Region
Manyi Ati, Montevallo (Ala.)
Lauren Billo, Wingate
Gwen Clarke, Armstrong Atlantic State
Caitlyn Dean, Tusculum
Stormi Gale, Wingate
Anna Garrison, Montevallo (Ala.)
Lauren Kiwacka, Lincoln Memorial
Jamie Lancaster, Anderson (S.C.)
Carly Mozgai, Carson-Newman
Rebecca Royal, Flagler
Ashley Sarmiento, Tusculum
Rachel Stacy, Flagler
Meg Weathersby, Flagler
Liz Willis, Wingate

Region Freshman of the Year: Ashley Sarmiento, Tusculum

Honorable Mention: Shannon Byers (USC Aiken), Kaitlyn Whitmer (Catawba), Alyssa Raterman (Tusculum), Samantha Lukralle (USC Aiken), Nikki James (Carson-Newman), Ashley Knight (Lincoln Memorial)