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UCA VOLLEYBALL DOMINATES SOUTHLAND AWARDS
Chloe Smith Named Southland Volleyball Player of the Year

FRISCO, Texas - Central Arkansas senior Chloe Smith was named the 2010 Southland Conference Volleyball Player of the Year for the third time in her career by a vote of the league's head coaches and sports information directors, the conference office announced Wednesday in conjunction with the release of the all-conference volleyball teams.

Smith, a native of San Diego, Calif., is the first player in Southland history to be named the league's player of the year three times. A four-time all-conference selection, Smith is one of 12 players in conference history to be named first-team all-conference in three consecutive seasons. Smith ranks fourth in the league in kills (388), ninth in hitting percentage (.274), and recently became the all-time kills leader at Central Arkansas (1,644).

Central Arkansas led all teams with four all-conference selections and for the third consecutive season, UCA claimed four-of-the six individual postseason awards given by the Southland. Joining Smith on the awards list is Marissa Collins, who was selected freshman and setter of the year. UCA coach Steven McRoberts received coach of the year honors.

Collins joined Smith in making league history as the first player to be named both the conference freshman and setter of the year. A native of Pearland, Texas, Collins was named first-team all-conference after leading the league in assists (1,291). She ranks 15th in the NCAA in assists per set (11.53). Collins is the fourth UCA freshman of the year selection in the last five years and is the third consecutive setter of the year recipient from UCA.

Steven McRoberts was named coach of the year after leading UCA to its second consecutive regular-season title and first No. 1 seed in the school's first Southland tournament. Central Arkansas posted a 26-7 overall record and went 15-1 against conference opponents. McRoberts is the first coach to receive league honors in three consecutive seasons since former UT Arlington coach Lisa Love won four straight (1984-87).
UTSA junior Kelsey Jewasko was named libero of the year for the second time in the last three seasons. A two-time first-team all-conference selection, the San Antonio native recorded the most digs in the Southland since 2006 (631) and ranks 19th in the NCAA in digs per set (5.44).

Lamar sophomore Christina Hobbs was named newcomer of the year. A native of Humble, Texas, Hobbs is the fourth Lamar newcomer of the year selection and first since Shalayne Blythe (2007). Hobbs ranks 12th in the league in hitting percentage (.260) and has also contributed 199 kills, 67 blocks, including five solo and 32 digs.

Seven teams are represented on the all-conference first team. Central Arkansas and UTSA are tied with three first-team members. Texas State received two and Lamar, Sam Houston State, UT Arlington and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi each had one.

Junior Jessica Hays rounds out the Central Arkansas first-team selections. A native of Friendswood, Texas, Hays is the second UCA player in the last two years to lead the league in kills (434). Her 69 service aces are the most in the Southland since 2001 and rank fourth in the NCAA in aces per set (0.62).

Joining Jewasko from UTSA on the first team are teammates junior Kendra Rowland and sophomore Kelsey Schwirtlich. Rowland, a native of Antioch, Calif., makes her third career all-conference appearance. Rowland ranks fifth in the league in kills (361) and sixth in kills per set (3.17). Schwirtlich, a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, ranks third in assists per set (9.78) and is one-of-six league players with more than 1,000 assists this season (1,066) which ranks fourth.

Texas State received two first-team selections for the second consecutive season. Senior A.J. Watlington and freshman Amari Deardorff each make their first career first-team all-conference appearance. Watlington, a native of Aledo, Texas, leads a hard-hitting Bobcat team in kills (272) and had 191 digs and 47 blocks, including four solo. Deardorff, a native of Austin, Texas, ranks fourth in the league in hitting percentage (.328) and is one of only six Southland players to hit better than .300 on the year. She also has contributed with 200 kills, 59 digs and 52 blocks.

Lamar sophomore Jayme Bazile was selected first-team all-conference for the first time in her career. A native of Beaumont, Texas, Bazile leads the league in blocks (114) for the second consecutive season and ranks sixth in the conference in hitting percentage (.325).

Sam Houston State junior Carli Kolbe received her second all-conference selection. A native of College Station, Texas, Kolbe ranks third in the league in kills (401) and kills per set (3.61). She is the first Bearkat to post more than 400 kills in a season in consecutive years since Alisha Fowler in 2004-05.

Rounding out the first-team selections is UT Arlington junior Amanda Aguilera and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi senior Emma Ridley.

Aguilera, a native of Pearland, Texas, was named to the first team for a second time after leading UTA in kills (330) which ranks seventh in the league overall and fourth in kills per set (3.51). Ridley leads the league in kills per set (3.95) and ranks second overall in kills (415), marking her second consecutive season with more than 400 kills.

Second-team all-conference members include UT Arlington junior Alicia Shaffer and senior Bianca Sauls, Texas State junior Amber Calhoun, Central Arkansas junior Cristin Curl, Stephen F. Austin junior M.C. Bottles and Nicholls junior Danielle Daigle. Bottles makes her third all-conference appearance and Calhoun and Curl each earned their second career all-conference honor.

The 2010 All-Southland Conference Volleyball teams are comprised of 12 first-team and six second-team members. Teams are chosen by vote of the league's head coaches and sports information directors. Recipients are placed by the number of votes received.

The 2010 Southland Conference Volleyball Tournament gets underway Friday in Huntsville, Texas, with four first-round matches. The semifinals will be held Saturday with the championship match being played Sunday at 3 p.m., CST,­ on the Southland Conference Television Network. All the tournament matches will be streamed live on SLC NOW on Southland.org.

Individual Award Winners
Player of the Year - Chloe Smith, Central Arkansas
Libero of the Year - Kelsey Jewasko, UTSA
Freshman of the Year - Marissa Collins, Central Arkansas
Setter of the Year - Marissa Collins, Central Arkansas
Newcomer of the Year - Christina Hobbs, Lamar
Coach of the Year - Steven McRoberts, Central Arkansas


2010 All-Southland Conference Volleyball Teams

First Team

Name School Pos. Cl. Hometown/Prev. School

Chloe Smith4 Central Arkansas RS Sr. San Diego, Calif./Our Lady of Peace
Kendra Rowland3 UTSA OH Sr. Antioch, Calif./Deer Valley
Jessica Hays Central Arkansas OH Jr. Friendswood, Texas/Friendswood
A.J. Watlington Texas StateOH Sr. Aledo, Texas/Aledo
Carli Kolbe2 Sam Houston State OH Jr. College Station, Texas/A&M Consolidated
Kelsey Jewasko2 UTSA L Jr. San Antonio, Texas/East Central
Marissa Collins Central Arkansas S Fr. Pearland, Texas/Pearland
Emma Ridley2 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi OH Sr. Phoenix, Ariz./Tulsa
Jayme Bazile Lamar MB So. Beaumont, Texas/Ozen
Kelsey Schwirtlich UTSA S So. Corpus Christi, Texas/Calallen
Amari Deardorff Texas State RS Fr. Austin, Texas/Westwood
Amanda Aguilera2 UT Arlington OH Jr. Pearland, Texas/Pearland

Second Team

Name School Pos. Cl. Hometown/Prev. School
Alicia Shaffer UT Arlington L Jr. Magnolia, Texas/Magnolia
Amber Calhoun2 Texas State MB Jr. Houston, Texas/Second Baptist
Bianca Sauls UT Arlington OH Sr. Pflugerville, Texas/Pflugerville
Cristin Curl2 Central Arkansas L Jr. Amarillo, Texas/Tascosa
M.C. Bottles3 Stephen F. Austin MB Jr. Rowlett, Texas/Rowlett
Danielle Daigle Nicholls L Jr. Napoleonville, La./Assumption

2Two-time all-conference
3Three-time all-conference
4Four-time all-conference

Honorable Mention: Taylor Hammonds, Central Arkansas; Christina Hobbs, Lamar; Katie Kennedy, McNeese State; Becky Bekelja, McNeese State; Laranda Spann, Northwestern State; Kaylee Hawkins, Sam Houston State; Kim Black, Sam Houston State; Whitney Walls, UTSA; Briana Mason, UTSA.

http://www.ucasports.com/news/2010/11/17/VB_1117104117.aspx
UCA VOLLEYBALL DOMINATES SOUTHLAND AWARDS
11/17/2010 1:39:49 PM
FRISCO, Texas - For the third consecutive year, the University of Central Arkansas volleyball team won four of the six Southland Conference postseason awards. Senior Chloe Smith was named Player of the Year, Marissa Collins was named Freshman of the Year and Setter of the Year and Steven McRoberts took Coach of the Year honors.

Smith, a right side hitter from San Diego, Calif., is the first player in league history to be named Player of the Year three times. She is one of 12 players in conference history to be named all-conference in three consecutive seasons. Smith ranks fourth in the league in kills (388), ninth in hitting percentage and became UCA's all-time career kills leader with 1,644 earlier this year.

"Chloe has had an outstanding career here at UCA and for her to win her third Player of the Year award is just a testament to her consistency and determination over the past four years," said McRoberts. "I know she still wants to play at least three more weeks and Chloe understands that all her teammates have helped her to succeed as well."

Collins is the first player to be named both the conference Freshman and Setter of the Year. The Pearland, Texas native was also a first team All-SLC selection after leading the league in assists (1,291). She ranks 15th in the country with 11.53 assists per set. Collins is UCA's fourth Freshman of the Year in five seasons and the third consecutive Setter of the Year.

"I'm not sure Marissa could have had a better freshman year," McRoberts said. "After losing a senior setter last year in two-time Setter of the Year Robyn Smith, I thought there would be a drop off in our team's productivity, and to give Marissa a lot of credit, it hasn't. She has been a great setter and I know she will continue to be an outstanding floor leader as she gets more experience. She has had a lot of difference weapons to set, and that has definitely helped her transition from high school to college."...

Our middles did a great job this year, no awards for them?

Congratulations to Chloe, Jessica, Marissa, Cristin, Taylor and
Coach McRoberts on their awards. Kudos to the entire team
for another outstanding year. A 31-1 conference record over
the past two seasons is simply amazing.

Go Sugar Bears..... win the conference tourney...... and on
to the NCAA tournament.

Can't give all the awards to the Sugar Bears can you?
Even though they probably deserve it.

I thought that was a little weird too at first. Both Nagy and Hammonds led the league in hitting %. I guess they just didn't have enough attempts to make their totals as high as others. And their blocks/set number wasn't in the top 7 of the league.

Hammonds was honorable mention though.
I'm guessing that both will get more attention next year as a sophomore and junior.

Big congratulations to Chloe, Jessica, Marissa, Cristin, Taylor and Coach McRoberts.

It was a total team effort that produced these awards. It's been a fun year to watch the entire terrific Sugar Bear team play,

Let's make this weekend's tournament one to remember!

Congratulations to ALL, those mentioned for the awards and the entire team who are fabulous.

Awards like this are earned by the players who are recognized but also by the hard work and teamwork given by their teammates.

Now go and win that trip to the NCAA TOURNAMENT!!!

GO SUGARBEARS!!