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Omaha ? Four University of Nebraska volleyball players were honored Wednesday with selections to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-American team. The Huskers chosen for the AVCA accolades included first-team selections Sarah Pavan and Jordan Larson, second-team recipient Tracy Stalls and third-team honoree Rachel Holloway.
Wednesday’s selections marked the first time that Larson, Stalls and Holloway were chosen, increasing NU’s national-best total of AVCA All-Americans to 57 among 29 athletes. It marked the third time that the Huskers had four selections (2001 and 2005). Nebraska was the only Big 12 team with a first-team recepient, as seven Big 12 performers combined to earn a total of second first-, second or third-team accolades.
Pavan becomes the third Husker in school history to earn three AVCA first-team All-American certificates, joining Allison Weston and Nancy Metcalf in that distinguished club. The junior from Kitchener, Ontario leads the Big 12 and ranks 10th nationally with 5.07 kills per game, while also ranking among the Big 12 leaders in points per game (5.97, first) and service aces per game (0.33, sixth) Pavan had at least 20 kills eight times this season, including 20 in the regional final against No. 9 Minnesota last Saturday.
Larson earned first-team honors after an exceptional 2006 campaign. She averages 4.21 kills and 3.38 digs per game, ranking among the Big 12’s leaders in aces (0.50/gm, second), points (5.20, third), kills (fourth) and digs (10th). The Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Larson has a team-best 21 double-doubles, including 10 in a row earlier in the season. She comes off one of the best performances of her career, a 21-kill, 17-dig effort in the regional title match. Larson also becomes the 12th Husker volleyball player from Nebraska to earn AVCA All-America accolades.
Stalls earns All-America accolades for the first time for a strong junior campaign. She averages 2.62 kills and 1.41 blocks per game, leading the Big 12 and ranking 11th national in hitting percentage while ranking fourth in blocks. She reached double-figures in kills 11 times entering the NCAA semifinals, including a 16-kill, 12-block effort at Colorado in November. Stalls’ hitting percentage is the best by a Husker since Amber Holmquist hit .406 in 2000.
Holloway becomes the second Husker freshman in school history to earn AVCA All-America honors, joining Pavan, who was tabbed in 2004. Holloway becomes the eighth Husker setter to earn All-Americans, as NU setters has combined for 16 AVCA All-America certificates. She averages 13.39 assists, 2.50 digs and 1.12 kills per game, ranking 12th nationally in assists. She guides an offensive attack that leads the country in kills and assists per game while ranking second nationally in hitting percentage. She had a career-best 65 assists in the win over Minnesota in the regional title match last Saturday.
The Huskers will return to action tomorrow night, as they on UCLA, beginning at 6 p.m. The match will be carried live on ESPN2 (Ch. 35 on Time Warner Cable in Lincoln). A crowd of over 16,000 is expected making it largest crowd to see a women’s college volleyball match.
2006 AVCA DIVISION I ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM
Player
Institution
Pos.
Yr.
Ht.
Hometown
Foluke Akinradewo #
Stanford University
MB
So.
6-3
Plantation, Florida
Cynthia Barboza
Stanford University
OH
So.
6-0
Long Beach, California
Nicole Fawcett #
Penn State University
OH
So.
6-4
Zanesfield, Ohio
Megan Hodge
Penn State University
OH
Fr.
6-3
Durham, North Carolina
Kanoe Kamana'o ^ @ %
University of Hawai'i
S
Sr.
5-8
Honolulu, Hawai'i
University of Nebraska
OH
So.
6-2
Hooper, Nebraska
Angie McGinnis @
University of Florida
S
Jr.
5-11
Fraser, Michigan
Nana Meriwether @
UCLA
MB
Sr.
6-1
Potomac, Maryland
Christal Morrison $ @
University of Washington
OH
Jr.
6-1
Puyallup, Washington
Sarah Pavan * ^
University of Nebraska
RS/Opp
Jr.
6-5
Kitchener, Ontario
Nellie Spicer
UCLA
S
So.
5-10
Barrington, Illinois
Courtney Thompson * ^
University of Washington
S
Sr.
5-8
Kent, Washington
2006 AVCA DIVISION I ALL-AMERICA SECOND TEAM
Player
Institution
Pos.
Yr.
Ht.
Hometown
Alesha Deesing
University of Washington
MB
Jr.
6-2
Salem, Oregon
Ashley Engle
The University of Texas
RS/Opp
Fr.
6-3
Yorba Linda, California
Christa Harmotto
Penn State University
MB
So.
6-2
Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Asia Kaczor
Univ. of Southern California
RS/Opp
Jr.
6-4
Wroclaw, Poland
Bryn Kehoe @
Stanford University
S
Jr.
5-11
North Bend, Ohio
Marisa Main # $
The Ohio State University
S
Sr.
5-9
Louisville, Kentucky
Amber McCray
University of Florida
RS/Opp
Jr.
6-0
Longview, Texas
Meredith Nelson
University of Minnesota
MB
Sr.
6-3
St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin
Angie Pressey
University of California
OH
Jr.
5-8
Heathrow, Florida
Airial Salvo
University of Utah
OH
So.
6-0
Farmington, Utah
Jackie Simpson
University of Wisconsin
S
Jr.
6-0
Downers Grove, Illinois
Tracy Stalls
University of Nebraska
MB
Jr.
6-3
Denver, Colorado
2006 AVCA DIVISION I ALL-AMERICA THIRD TEAM
Player
Institution
Pos.
Yr.
Ht.
Hometown
Kristen Carlson
University of San Diego
OH
Sr.
6-2
Purcellville, Virginia
Katie Carter
UCLA
OH
Sr.
6-3
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Rachel Holloway
University of Nebraska
S
Fr.
5-10
Franklin, Tennessee
Jamie Houston
University of Hawai'i
OH
So.
6-1
Huntsville, Alabama
Danielle Meyer
The Ohio State University
MB
Jr.
6-1
Cincinnati, Ohio
Michelle Moriarty @
The University of Texas
S
Jr.
5-10
Houston, Texas
Ashley Nu'u
University of Colorado
S
Sr.
5-10
Aurora, Colorado
Kristin Richards *
Stanford University
OH
Sr.
6-0
Orem, Utah
Eliane Santos
University of Oklahoma
MB
Sr.
6-2
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Debora Seilhamer
Univ. of Southern California
DS/Lib
Sr.
5-5
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Jessica Swarbrick
University of Washington
MB
So.
6-1
El Dorado, California
Whitney Webb
University of Utah
RS/Opp
Jr.
6-1
Gilbert, Arizona
* indicates 2005 AVCA First Team All-America selection
^ indicates 2004 AVCA First Team All-America selection
# indicates 2005 AVCA Second Team All-America selection
$ indicates 2004 AVCA Second Team All-America selection
@ indicates 2005 AVCA Third Team All-America selection
% indicates 2003 AVCA Third Team All-America selection
2006 AVCA Division I Freshman of the Year: Megan Hodge, Penn State, Outside Hitter
2006 AVCA Division I Player of the Year: Announced at AVCA All-America/Players of the Year Banquet on Dec. 15, 2006