Wingate's Krauser Wins NCAA Elite 89 Award

PENSACOLA, Fla. - Wingate University senior middle blocker Grace Krauser has earned the prestigious Elite 89 Award, officials announced at Wednesday night's Elite Eight banquet. Krauser wins the award for the second time in her career. She also won the honor in 2010.

Krauser is the first NCAA Division II volleyball student-athlete to win the Elite 89 Award twice. She is also the first SAC student-athlete to be honored twice. In 2010, Krauser became the first SAC student-athlete to win the award. After earning first team Academic All-America honors as a junior, Krauser earned first team Academic All-District honors this season. The Academic All-America team will be announced later this month.

An award founded by the NCAA, the Elite 89 recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The Elite 89 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 89 championships. The awards were first presented in the fall of 2009.

"What a great honor for Grace to be receiving such a prestigious award at this special event," head coach Shelton Collier says. "She has been a great leader and role model here for four years here and she has tremendous respect from her teammates and coaches for her work ethic and her commitment to academics. We are proud of all she has brought to Wingate as a player and as a student and this is award will be very special to her and to our program."

A two-time All-SAC selection, Krauser is averaging 1.87 kills per set this season. She ranks fourth in the SAC with 0.85 blocks per set and sixth with a .281 hitting percentage. Krauser hit .474 with nine kills and four blocks against Belmont Abbey. She registered 10 kills and five blocks at USC Aiken, while piling up seven kills, five digs and five blocks at Newberry, hitting .538. Krauser hit .556 with 10 kills and seven blocks against Carson-Newman, while notching eight kills in the win at Tusculum. She had nine kills and six digs at Carson-Newman, hitting .300 on the match. Krauser hit .333 with 10 kills in the SAC title match, while hitting .700 in the regional title match with seven kills and three blocks.

Krauser has registered 732 kills and 230 blocks during her career. The Bulldogs have gone 131-7 during Krauser's four years, including a 68-2 mark in league play while winning the SAC regular season and SAC Tournament title all four years. The Bulldogs have also advanced to the Sweet 16 all four years of her career, while winning two regional titles.

The Bulldogs are 32-2 overall this season, riding a 23-match winning streak as they prepare to take on top-ranked Concordia-St. Paul in the national quarterfinals Thursday. Wingate ranks fourth nationally in winning percentage this season, ranking in the top five for the sixth straight year. Wingate led the nation in winning percentage in 2007, 2010 and 2011, while ranking third in 2008 and 2009.

- Wingate media relations