AVCA All-America teams unveiled

The AVCA published its 2009 All-America teams. The AVCA National Player of the Year will be announced tomorrow night at the Championship Banquet in University Heights, Ohio. Gonna go out on a limb and say Ohio Northern middle Liz Schnelle is this year’s Player of the Year. The National Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year announcements are coming next Tuesday.

I didn’t mention it at the time, but an interesting All-Region omission thus an All-America omission is Wash U sophomore Lauren Budde. Budde leads the No. 4 Bears in kills, points and blocks. She’s also second on the team in digs and service receptions. Seems worthy to me anyway. Another omission from the All-Region/All-America teams is North Central (Ill.) senior libero Stephanie Ryding, who had more than 900 digs this year.

See the above link for all of the teams. Here are the Central and Midwest region players honored.

There were some errors on the AVCA lists (school, class). Where there are differences between the two lists, I’m pretty sure mine is factually correct.

First Team (14 named) L Christina Cahoon, UW Oshkosh junior S Emily Foster, St. Thomas junior OH Michelle Madeja, Carthage sophomore L Kelly Pang, Washington freshman (AVCA National Freshman of the Year) MB Jacque Ray, UW Oshkosh senior OH Kim Smisek, St. Olaf junior

Second Team (14 named) MB Erin Albers, Washington senior OH Laura Brammeier, Nebraska Wesleyan junior S Marilee Fisher, Washington freshman OH Caitlin Hogan, UW-Whitewater junior L Katie Lundgren, Carthage senior

Third Team (14 named) OH Katie Beining, UW Oshkosh senior S Beth Hanson, Saint Benedict senior OH Kayla Leyden, Benedictine junior

Honorable Mention (72 named) OH Aleisha Bagin, UW Oshkosh freshman S Tara Christensen, Simpson senior OH Kyley Crotty, St. Thomas senior OH Kelsy England, Millikin sophomore RS Sarah Gardner, Saint Mary’s junior OH Jenna Green, Concordia (Minn.) OH Melissa Hillebrand, UW-Platteville junior OH Emma Jaynes, Saint Benedict senior OH Brittanie Paulus, Lakeland senior S Kelly Prunty, St. Olaf junior MB Katie Roessler, Concordia (Wis.) OH Kelsey Scheele, UW-River Falls senior MB Elise Schmid, Nebraska Wesleyan senior RS Rachel Swoboda, Carthage junior S Katelyn Vara, UW Oshkosh senior

-Ricky Nelson