TWO GOLDEN SUNS NAMED SECOND-TEAM DAKTRONICS
ALL-SOUTH REGION VOLLEYBALL SELECTIONS

         RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – Two Arkansas Tech Volleyball players picked some more postseason honors on Monday as senior Kayla Allison (Tulsa, Okla.) and sophomore Sarah Von Lienen (Lakeland, Tenn.) were named Second-Team Daktronics All-South Region Volleyball selections.

The Daktronics All-South Region Teams were voted on by the Sports Information Directors at all the schools in the South Region. In addition, the SIDs at their respective South Region schools were responsible for nominating the student-athletes. All First-Team All-Region selections advance on to Daktronics All-American ballot, which will be released on December 4.

Allison, a setter, and Von Lienen, a middle blocker, were one of six Gulf South Conference players represented on one of the two South Region teams. Henderson State libero Bethany Wright and West Florida middle blocker Patricia Gandolfo were named First-Team selections, while joining the Tech duo on the second team were Harding outside hitter Manuela Nesheva and West Florida outside hitter Luciana Rapach.

“What a nice honor for both Kayla and Sarah to be recognized as All-South Region selections,” Tech Head Volleyball Coach Kristy Bayer said. “Both of them had tremendous seasons for our team and played a big part in our success.”

Both Allison and Von Lienen helped the Golden Suns earn its first GSC West Division title since 2000 and also finish the season with a 31-5 overall record.  

Allison, who was named a First-Team All-GSC West Division selection this season and is the program’s first-ever Division II era four-time All-Conference honoree, earns Second-Team All-South Region honors at setter after finishing the season with 1,038 assists (9.89 aps), along with recording 27 service aces and 211 digs (2.01 dps) and 48 blocks (0.46 bps). In addition, Allison finishes her four-year Tech career as the school’s all-time record holder in assists with 5,175 and also finishes third in career digs (1,129), fifth in career double-doubles (46) and fourth in career double-figure dig matches (46). She helped set the table for a Tech offense that finished the season hitting a GSC-best .273. This past season, Allison, who is also a three-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI selection, hit .500 or better in 11 matches, had six double-doubles and had 31 matches with double-digit assists.

Von Lienen, who was named a First-Team All-GSC West Division selection this season, earns Second-Team honors at middle blocker after recording a team-best 123 blocks (1.06 bps) and hitting .352 in 116 sets played. In addition, Von Lienen, who was named the GSC West Division Freshman of the Year in 2007, was second on the team in kills (300) and also added 22 digs and had 37 solo blocks. She hit .500 or better in 15 matches and had 12 matches with double-digit kills and 13 matches with five or more blocks. Through two seasons with the Golden Suns, Von Lienen has recorded 279 blocks, which is sixth-best on the school’s Division II-era charts. In addition, Von Lienen holds the school’s Division II era single-season block mark after recording 156 in 2007.

The First Team Daktronics All-South Region team was Gandolfo, Wright, Tampa setter Gabriela Saade, Florida Southern middle blocker Danielle Higginbotham, Tampa outside hitter Melissa Vanderhall, Barry [FL] outside hitter Camilla Pagnan and Lynn [FL] outside hitter Camila Lins.

Joining the GSC contingent on the second team are Nova Southeastern setter Valia Petrova, Tampa right side/middle hitter Danielle MacDonald and Rollins’ duo of outside hitter Nikki Hartman and libero Phoebe Corder.

In addition to selecting an All-South Region Team, the SIDs also voted on a Player of the Year and this year’s Daktronics All-South Region Player of the Year is Vanderhall.     

2008 Daktronics All-South Region Volleyball Teams

         -- Tech Athletics --