Dec. 17, 2008
OMAHA, Neb. -
Complete AVCA All-America Release in PDF Format 
The California volleyball team had two players honored as the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced the 28th annual AVCA Division I All-American Teams for women's volleyball today. Junior outside hitter Hana Cutura became a two-time All-American with her selection to the first team and sophomore setter Carli Lloyd received her first All-America nod and became Cal's first All-American setter with her selection to the second team. While Lloyd is Cal's sixth AVCA All-American, the pair receives Cal's 10th and 11th All-America honors, marking just the second time in school history that the Golden Bears have had two players selected in the same year.
Each of the three AVCA All-America Teams is comprised of 14 athletes. The Division I AVCA National Player of the Year will be announced on Dec. 19 at the AVCA All-America/Players of the Year Banquet.
Stanford senior middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo and Penn State senior outside hitter Nicole Fawcett headline this year's selections, as they were the only four-time AVCA All-America honorees, each having earned three-consecutive first-team nods and a second-team distinction in 2005. Joining Akinradewo and Fawcett in making their third-straight first-team selection is Stanford senior outside hitter Cynthia Barboza, Penn State junior outside hitter Megan Hodge and UCLA senior setter Nellie Spicer.
Of all of the first-team honorees, all but one have previously garnered AVCA All-America recognition during their careers, with Purdue senior middle blocker Stephanie Lynch snagging her first-ever honor. A total of 23 athletes -over half of this year's recipients - representing the three teams are first-time AVCA All-America selections.
The selections were made by the AVCA Division I All-America Committee: chair - Debbie Kirch, Green Bay; Andy Banachowski, UCLA; Keylor Chan, Northwestern; Joe Getzin, Mississippi; Barry Goldberg, American; Christy Johnson, Iowa State; Mike Jordan, New Mexico State; Jolene Nagel, Duke. The AVCA Awards Chair is New Hampshire head volleyball coach Jill Hirschinger.
A two-time All-Pac-10 selection, Cutura ranks among the nation's leaders in kills per set and was second in the conference with 4.34 kps (499 kills). She was also third in the Pac-10 in service aces with 0.30 saps and was third on the team in digs with 2.38 dps. She moved into fifth all-time at Cal in career kills this season and completed the year with 1,376. Cutura was named to all-tournament teams in all four of Cal's preseason tourneys and took home the MVP award at the Crowne Plaza Volleyball Classic in Fullerton, Calif.
Lloyd ranked second in the conference and third nationally in assists per set this season (12.00 aps) and moved into fifth all-time at Cal for career assists, finishing the year with 2,942. Lloyd was also second on the team in digs with 2.42 dps and received MVP honors at two of Cal's four preseason tournaments. She was twice named the Pac-10's player of the week and received recognition as the Sports Imports/AVCA division I national player of the week on Oct. 20.
The No. 8-ranked Bears advanced to the NCAA regional final for the second consecutive year where they fell to defending NCAA champion, top-seeded Penn State in the University Park region. Cal set a school record with an all-time best 26-7 (.788) record and posted new marks for winning streaks by claiming 29 consecutive sets without a loss and winning 16 straight home matches.
2008 AVCA DIVISION I FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICA
Player Institution Pos. Yr. Ht. Hometown
Foluke Akinradewo *^@ Stanford University MB Sr. 6-3 Plantation, Florida
Cynthia Barboza *^ Stanford University OH Sr. 6-0 Long Beach, California
Hana Cutura # University of California OH Jr. 6-4 Zagreb, Croatia
Ashley Engle $ University of Texas RS/Opp. Jr. 6-3 Yorba Linda, California
Nicole Fawcett *^@ Penn State University OH Sr. 6-4 Zanesfield, Ohio
Alisha Glass # Penn State University S Jr. 6-0 Leland, Michigan
Christa Harmotto *$ Penn State University MB Sr. 6-2 Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Megan Hodge *^ Penn State University OH Jr. 6-3 Durham, North Carolina
Destinee Hooker # University of Texas OH Jr. 6-4 San Antonio, Texas
Alix Klineman # Stanford University OH So. 6-4 Manhattan Beach, California
Jordan Larson %^ University of Nebraska OH Sr. 6-2 Hooper, Nebraska
Stephanie Lynch Purdue University MB Sr. 6-3 New Albany, Indiana
Lauren Paolini % University of Texas MB Sr. 6-5 Ann Arbor, Michigan
Nellie Spicer *^ UCLA S Sr. 5-10 Barrington, Illinois
2008 AVCA DIVISION I SECOND-TEAM ALL-AMERICA
Player Institution Pos. Yr. Ht. Hometown
Sydney Anderson University of Nebraska S So. 6-0 Sandy, Utah
Blair Brown Penn State University RS/Opp. So. 6-5 Purcellville, Virginia
Laura DeBruler University of Illinois OH So. 5-10 Downers Grove, Illinois
Brook Dieter University of Minnesota OH So. 6-1 Bloomington, Minnesota
Neticia Enesi University of Oregon MB Jr. 6-1 The Dalles, Oregon
Jamie Houston ! University of Hawai’i OH Sr. 6-1 Huntsville, Alabama
Carli Lloyd University of California S So. 5-11 Bonsall, California
Kaylee Manns Iowa State University S Jr. 5-10 Topeka, Kansas
Gorana Maricic # University of Oregon OH Sr. 6-3 Subotica, Serbia
Tamari Miyashiro % University of Washington DS/Lib. Jr. 5-7 Kaneohe, Hawai’i
Tara Mueller University of Nebraska OH So. 6-0 Scottsdale, Arizona
Jessica Swarbrick #! University of Washington MB Sr. 6-1 El Dorado, California
Arielle Wilson Penn State University MB So. 6-3 Broadview, Illinois
Lexi Zimmerman University of Michigan S So. 5-10 Barrington, Illinois
2008 AVCA DIVISION I THIRD-TEAM ALL-AMERICA
Player Institution Pos. Yr. Ht. Hometown
Lori Baird University of Utah MB Sr. 6-2 Murray, Utah
Anna Cmaylo + Santa Clara University MB Sr. 6-4 Napa, California
Kanani Danielson University of Hawai’i OH Fr. 5-10 Ewa Beach, O’ahu
Jeanne Fairchild University of New Mexico OH Sr. 6-1 Albuquerque, New Mexico
Jessica Fine UCLA DS/Lib. Sr. 5-6 Tarzana, California
Lauren Gibbemeyer University of Minnesota MB So. 6-2 St. Paul, Minnesota
Jenna Hagglund University of Washington S So. 5-10 West Chester, Ohio
Danielle Hepburn Clemson University MB Sr. 6-2 Miami, Florida
Nataly Korobkova % Kansas State University RS/Opp. Sr. 6-3 Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Ashley Mass Iowa State University DS/Lib. So. 5-8 Muskego, Wisconsin
Jana Matiasovska University of Louisville OH Sr. 6-6 Bratislava, Slovakia
Sammi McCloud Saint Louis University RS/Opp. Jr. 6-2 Columbia, Illinois
Kelly Murphy University of Florida S/H Fr. 6-2 Wilmington, Illinois
Julie Rubenstein Pepperdine University OH Sr. 6-3 Camarillo, California
* indicates 2007 AVCA First-Team All-America selection ^ indicates 2006 AVCA First-Team All-America selection
# indicates 2007 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection $ indicates 2006 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection
@ indicates 2005 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection % indicates 2007 AVCA Third-Team All-America selection
! indicates 2006 AVCA Third-Team All-America selection + indicates 2005 AVCA Third-Team All-America selection
2008 Division I AVCA Freshman of the Year: Kelly Muphy, Florida, Setter/Hitter
2008 Division I AVCA Player of the Year: Announced at AVCA All-America/Players of the Year Banquet on Dec.19, 2008
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