Tusculum’s Dean, Wingate’s Gale Named To Daktronics All-America Volleyball Team

HILLSDALE, Mich. -- Tusculum College freshman Caitlyn Dean has been named to the 2010 Daktronics NCAA Division II All-America Volleyball Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Wingate University senior middle blocker Stormi Gale was named to the second team, earning Daktronics All-America honors for the second year in a row. She was a first-team selection in 2009.

The team is sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition. Voting for the all-region and All-American teams is powered by ATHLETICSITE.COM.

Tusculum College

Dean becomes the first Division II First Team All-American in school history and third All-American in the overall history of the program (Carla Loyd - 1992 NAIA All-American; Vivian Lacy - 2007 AVCA/Division II All-American).

Caitlyn Dean

Dean, a freshman from Fort Wayne, Ind., has posted one of the best defensive performances in NCAA II history. She currently leads the nation averaging 7.10 digs per set, which is a new school and South Atlantic Conference 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. She was also named to the Daktronics and American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Southeast Region Teams.

Dean becomes only the second South Atlantic Conference volleyball player to earn First Team All-Ameria accolades (Wingate's Stormi Gale - 2009 Daktronics All-America 1st Team).

The 2010 Pioneers 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.

Wingate University

Wingate University senior middle blocker Stormi Gale continues to pile up the awards. The two-time SAC Player of the Year has been named a second team All-American by Daktronics.

Stormi Gale

Gale is only the second player in league history to earn league Player of the Year honors twice. She is now the first player in the history of the conference to be named to an All-American team two times. The four-time first team All-SAC selection and three-time first team All-Region honoree helped the Bulldogs become the first team in the history of the SAC to win a regional title and earn a trip to the Elite Eight.

Gale leads the SAC with a .369 hitting percentage, while ranking fourth with 3.26 kills per set. Her 1.02 blocks per set ranks third in the league, while her 0.28 aces per set are good for eighth on the conference charts. She has a team-best 12 double-doubles in 2010, while notching 42 during her illustrious career. She has notched double-digit kills 20 times on the season, and has hit above .400 in 14 matches. Gale had 19 kills, 15 digs and a .459 hitting percentage in Wingate's 3-1 win over Tusculum. She had 19 kills, 20 digs and six blocks in the SAC Tournament win over Newberry. Gale had 15 kills and zero errors with 12 digs and four blocks at Newberry, hitting .517 for the match. She had 15 kills, 10 digs, five blocks and a .467 hitting percentage against Francis Marion.

Gale has been racking up the awards since stepping on campus in 2007. She earned SAC Freshman of the Year honors in '07, while also earning all-conference accolades and being named to the All-SAC Tournament team. Gale earned first team All-Region honors in 2008, while again earning all-conference honors and being named the MVP of the SAC Tournament. Gale was named to the all-tournament team at the NCAA Southeast Regional. She also became just the second player in Wingate history to earn honorable mention All-American honors her sophomore season.

Gale was named a first team All-American by Daktronics in 2009, becoming the only first team All-American in league history. She also earned third team honors from the AVCA. She became the first SAC player to earn Region Player of the Year accolades in 2009, while once again earning all-tournament honors in the SAC tournament and Southeast Regional tournament. She repeated as a first team All-SAC and All-Region player in 2010, while once again earning MVP honors at the SAC Tournament. She was also named to the AVCA All-America third team.

Gale ranks in the top six in five different categories in Wingate's all-time record books. Her 3.54 career kills per set is an all-time record, while her 1,541 career kills rank second on the all-time list. She is third with 376 block assists, while also ranking third all-time in hitting percentage and sixth in aces.

Gale is a three-time Academic All District selection. This year, Gale is one of only three players in all of Division II ESPN Academic All-America honors while also earning All-American accolades.

Gale has led the Bulldogs to an incredible run over the last four years. Wingate claimed its fifth straight regular season and tournament title, while hosting the NCAA Southeast Regionals for the third straight year. The Bulldogs made school and league history by winning the Southeast Regional Tournament and reaching the first Elite Eight in Wingate or SAC volleyball history. The 'Dogs are 31-1 overall, good for a .969 winning percentage which leads all of Division II. Wingate's current 29-match winning streak is the longest in Division II. It marks the fourth consecutive year Wingate has finished in the top three in the nation in winning percentage, making the Bulldogs the only team to do that. Wingate is 131-7 overall since the start of the 2007 season, good for a .949 winning percentage which also leads all of Division II. The Bulldogs have topped the 30-win mark for the fourth straight season. Wingate's four seniors went 113-4 in regular season play during their careers. The 'Dogs went undefeated in SAC play for the fourth consecutive year, pushing the conference winning streak to 64 matches.

2010 Daktronics NCAA Division II All-America Volleyball Team
First Team
S - Amanda Konetchy, Concordia-St. Paul
L - Caitlyn Dean, Tusculum
MH - Samantha Middleborn, Cal State-San Bernardino
MH - Emily Palkert, Concordia-St. Paul
OH - Julia Teixeria, Barry
OH - Rheann Fall, Cal State-Monteray Bay
OH - Patrycja Klekotka, Dowling

Second Team
S - Maja Potpara, Dowling
L - Kyra Pelayo, Hawaii-Pacific
MH - Stormi Gale, Wingate
MH - Devin Diedrich, Southwest Minnesota State
OH - Brittney Miller, Emporia State
OH - Megan Carlson, Concordia-St. Paul
OH - Jane Chafeh, Cal State-San Bernardino

Third Team
S - Meghan Sherman, Tampa
L - Kaitlyn Heiserman, Nebraska-Kearney
MH - Shawna Hines, Abilene Christian
MH - Monika Kasperek-Szulc, Dowling
OH - Ashlee Crowder. Hillsdale
OH - Sarah Mendoza, Rollins
OH - Kayla Koenecke, Concordia-St. Paul

Honorable Mention: Rachel Fister, Central Missouri; Camile Smith, Cal State-San Bernardino; Rebeccah Rapin, Grand Valley State; Agatha Baliddawa-Mukisa, Bridgeport; Melissa Vanderhall, Tampa; Roxanne Brunsting, Cal State-San Diego; Terry Masava, Bridgeport; Sara Malmov, New Haven; Xuan Gao, Lock Haven.