HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. ? Freshman middle blocker Alysha Fanning (Hendrick
Hudson H.S./Buchanan, N.Y.) of the Tiger volleyball team has been named
the 2006 Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Year, it was
announced by CAA officials at the conference Awards Banquet on Thursday
evening.
In addition, senior Christina Grempler (Severna Park H.S./Severna Park, Md.) was named to the All-CAA first team while junior setter Kimberly Snider (Hebron H.S./Carrollton, Texas) was named to the second team.
Fanning
has started 29 matches while playing in 115 games this season for the
Tigers and ranks third in the CAA in blocks per game with a 1.30
average. She also ranks eighth in the CAA in hitting percentage with a
.288 mark. She was named as the CAA Rookie of the Week during the
season after leading the Tigers to the Best Western South Florida
Invitational in early September and after wins at Virginia Commonwealth
and William & Mary in early October. She recorded the first “double
double” of her career in the Tigers' season opener against Houston,
tallying 11 kills with 10 blocks. Fanning enters the CAA Tournament
with 147 blocks this season, which ranks eighth on the Tigers'
single-season list.
Fanning is the second Tiger freshman to be honored as the CAA Rookie of the Year as April Hoffman, ?05 earned the award in 2002. She was also named to the CAA All-Rookie Team.
After
earning All-CAA second team honors as a junior, Grempler was named to
the first team this season in helping the Tigers to a 22-8 record.
Ranked second in the CAA in blocks per game (1.47), she recorded the
1,000th kill of her college career in the Tigers' four-game victory over Virginia Commonwealth
last Friday. She also ranks third in the CAA in hitting percentage,
converting 35.4 per cent of her attack attempts. One of three Tiger
players to reach 1,000 career kills and 400 career blocks, she enters
the CAA Tournament needing 12 blocks to become the second player in
school history to reach 500 career blocks, joining Liz Goubeaux, '04.
Grempler was named to the all-tournament teams at the Best Western
South Florida Invitational, Towson Invitational and URI Rams Classic
this season.
Grempler is the eighth Towson player to be honored with first-team All-CAA honors since the Tigers joined the conference prior to the 2002 season.
Snider
earned second-team All-CAA honors for the second straight year after
ranking fourth in the conference in assists per game. She was named as
the CAA Player of the Week on November 6 after leading the Tigers to
victories over Georgia State
and UNC Wilmington, averaging 13.50 assists per game. Entering the CAA
Tournament, she ranks second in the CAA with 18 “double double” efforts
this season and has 38 “double doubles” in the last two seasons. She
set a career high with 68 assists in the Tigers' five-game win over
William & Mary on October 7, which is the seventh-highest
single-match total in school history.
A
solid all-around player, Snider ranks third on the team with 108 blocks
and enters the CAA Tournament needing 22 digs to reach 750 for her
career. She tallied a career-high 22 digs in the Tigers' October 3
victory at the University of Delaware.
Senior Elizabeth Curley of Hofstra University was named as the CAA Player of the Year while teammate Shellane Ogoshi was honored as the Setter of the Year. James Madison junior Jena Pierson earned the Defensive Player of the Year award while Dukes coach Disa Garner was named as the Coach of the Year.
The
Tigers, who earned the third seed in the CAA Tournament, will face
defending CAA champion VCU in the quarter-finals on Friday evening at
7:30 p.m. Appearing in their fifth straight CAA Tournament, the Tigers
will be trying for their second CAA title in the last three years.
2006 All-Colonial Athletic Association Volleyball Teams
(selected by CAA coaches)
All-CAA First Team
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School
Elizabeth Curley, Hofstra Sr. MB Centerville, Mass./Barnstable
Ludmila Francescatto, VCU* Sr. OH Fraiburga, Brazil/Arizona Western Coll.
Kelly Gibson, Delaware*** So. OH Taos, N.M./Taos
Christina Grempler, Towson** Sr. MB Severna Park, Md./Severna Park
Allyson Halls, James Madison** Jr. MB Columbus, Ohio/Olentangy
Shellane Ogoshi, Hofstra* Jr. S Honolulu, Hawaii/Roosevelt
Jena Pierson, James Madison Jr. L San Antonio, Texas/James Madison HS
All-CAA Second Team
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School
Kira Batura, Northeastern Jr. L/OH Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South
Jaqueline Kohler, George Mason Jr. OH Curitiba, Brazil/Colegio Expoente
Lauren Miles, James Madison So. S Tampa, Fla./Tampa Prep
Beverly Rivera, Hofstra Sr. OH Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach
Kimberly Snider, Towson** Jr. S Carrollton, Texas/Hebron
Colleen Walsh, Delaware** Jr. OH Cleveland, Ohio/Regina
CAA Player of the Year: Elizabeth Curley, Hofstra
CAA Setter of the Year: Shellane Ogoshi, Hofstra
CAA Defensive Specialist of the Year: Jena Pierson, James Madison
CAA Rookie of the Year: Alysha Fanning, Towson
CAA Coach of the Year: Disa Garner, James Madison
All-Rookie Team
Player, School Cl. Pos. Hometown/Previous School
Noelle Boyd, Georgia State Fr. S Alrington, Texas/Martin
Katie Corcoran, George Mason Fr. S Allentown, Pa./Allentown Central Catholic
Alysha Fanning, Towson Fr. MB Buchanan, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson
Michelle LaLonde, Delaware Fr. MH Wooster, Ohio/Wooster
Kelly Matthias, Delaware Fr. MH Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown
Paula McConnell, UNC Wilmington Fr. MB Parker, Colo./Ponderosa
Kaitlin McFaddin, James Madison Fr. OH Natural Bridge Station, Va./Rockbridge
Rebecca Walter, George Mason Fr. OH Monbulk, Victoria, Australia/Monbulk College HS
