VOLLEYBALL PLACES THREE PLAYERS ON ALL-GSC WEST DIVISION TEAM; VON LIENEN NAMED WEST DIVISION FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

         RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – On the eve of the 2007 Gulf South Conference Volleyball Tournament, the Golden Suns had four players honored by the league on its All-GSC West Division Team.

The All-GSC teams are voted on by the league’s head coaches in their own respective divisions and the coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.

Juniors Kayla Allison (Tulsa, Okla.), Racheal Urquhart (Chatham, Ont.) and Dana Florian (Wilmington, Ill.) were honored  by the league on the West Division teams, while Sarah Von Lienen (Lakeland, Tenn.) became the fifth Golden Sun player to be named the West Division’s Freshman of the Year.

“I am extremely happy to see that four of our players were honored by the league,” Tech Head Volleyball Coach Kristy Bayer said. “They all deserved this recognition and worked hard for it and had a great supporting cast.”

Allison, a setter, was named a first-team All-GSC West Division selection after earning second-team honors the past two seasons, while Urquhart, an outside hitter and Florian, a middle blocker, were named second-team All-GSC West Division honorees.

West Division champion Harding, along with East Division champion West Florida and North Alabama had a total of 13 players selected to one of the division’s two teams, as the Argonauts and Lady Lions had four selections each and the Lady Bisons led the way with five total selections.

In the West Division, Henderson State middle blocker Edith Musebe was named the Player of the Year, while Harding’s Keith Giboney was named the division’s Coach of the Year for the fourth consecutive season. Meanwhile, in the East Division, West Florida right side hitter Luciana Rapach was named the Player of the Year and West Florida’s Melissa Wolter was named the Coach of the Year. West Georgia middle blocker Jordan McDonald prevented a UWF sweep of the major awards as she was named the East Division’s Freshman of the Year.

It was the third straight season that Tech had a First-Team All-GSC selection as Urquhart was honored in 2006 and Kelly Allums was selected in 2005. In addition, it is the first time since 2000, when they had five All-GSC honorees, that Tech has had at least four players receive postseason honors from the league.

Von Lienen becomes the first Golden Sun to receive West Division Freshman of the Year honors since Stephanie Storedahl was honored in 2002. Von Lienen earns the Freshman of the Year honor after averaging 1.25 blocks and setting the school’s single-season Division I era block record with 152 this season. On the season, she has posted more than five blocks in 16 of her 34 matches, including a career-best 10 against Ouachita Baptist. In addition, she is second on the team in hitting (.256) and is fourth on the team in both kills (312) and kills per game (2.56) and has had 13 double-digit kill matches.

“Sarah was a dominant force in blocking in the league this season,” Bayer said. “Middle blocker is the toughest position to transition to from high school to college, but she hasn’t missed a beat all season.”

 Allison, who was a Preseason All-GSC West Division selection, moved up to the first team this season after being a second team selection the past two years and in the process becomes the ninth Golden Sun player to earn All-GSC honors three times. This season, Allison continued her climb up the school’s record books as she recorded 1,274 assists (10.89 apg) and 349 digs (2.98 dpg). Entering Friday’s GSC Tournament opener against North Alabama, Allison has recorded 4,111 career assists and is 122 assists shy of the school’s career record of 4,233 assists held by Kristen Scroggins (1997-00) and she stands fifth on the school’s list for career double-doubles with 39. Allison, who is 10th on the GSC’s career assist chart, is one of three Golden Suns to eclipse the 4,000 career assist plateau.

“Has been a very consistent player for us and in the league since her freshman year,” the fourth-year Tech coach said. “There is no one in the league with her height and strength that has the ability the deliver the ball the way she does.”

Florian earns her first postseason honor from the league after having a banner junior season in 2007. On the season, Florian has recorded 134 total blocks and is averaging 1.11 blocks per game and is averaging 3.18 kills per game and is hitting .237, which is fourth best on the team. Florian, who has had 11 matches with at least five blocks, is poised to rewrite the school’s Division II era block record chart as she is currently third on that list with 399 career blocks and is 44 shy of Erin Essink’s (2001-04) record of 443 blocks.  

“I am very proud of Dana as she has worked hard the past three years,” said Bayer. “She has really stepped up this season, not only as a defensive player with her blocking, but also on offense as well.”

Urquhart, who was a Preseason All-GSC West Division selection, leads the team in kills (433), kills per game (3.64) and service aces (47) and is second on the team in digs (358), digs per game (3.01) and double-doubles (15). In addition, she stands fifth on the school’s career kill chart (1,238), fourth in career aces (170) and second in career digs (1,116).

“Racheal is our best all-around player in all aspects of the game,” Bayer said.

Joining Allison the West Division First-Team were Harding teammates, outside hitter Manuela Nesheva and setter Leah Tepe, along with Musebe, Henderson State libero Bethany Wright, Ouachita Baptist middle blocker Breanne Garrett and Southern Arkansas middle blocker Kristina Daily.

Meanwhile, Florian and Urquhart are joined on the West Division’s Second-Team by Arkansas-Monticello middle blocker Kameshia Melton and Harding’s threesome of outside hitter Katelin Parks, libero Meredith Rosenbaum and middle blocker Shellie Rummer.

Rapach was joined on the East Division First-Team by here UWF teammates, setter Madeline Gonzalez and outside hitter Isabela Gualberto, along with West Alabama outside hitter Allison Nail, West Georgia outside hitter Andressa Martins, North Alabama’s threesome of libero Jessica Hansen, outside hitter Danielle Palasak and middle blocker Whitney Sanders.

The East Division Second-Team is headlined by UWG’s McDonald, Alabama-Huntsville middle hitter Kelly Ingram, North Alabama setter Allison Jacobs, West Florida outside hitter Kim Clark, West Georgia outside hitter Carolin Schoeneck and West Alabama’s duo of setter Guiliana De Francesco and outside hitter Ana Gabriela Pedrosa.

2007 All-GSC Volleyball Teams

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