WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - The 3rd-ranked UC San Diego women's volleyball team had five student-athletes named to the All-California Collegiate Athletic Association All-Conference team, it was announced on Thursday by the conference office. Sylvia Schmidt became UCSD's third-ever CCAA Player of the Year and first since Nicole Courtney won the award in 2006. Joining Schmidt on the first team was Roxanne Brunsting and Elaine Chen. Hillary Williamson and Julia Freidenberg earned second-team honors. The five-student athletes from UCSD tied a conference high as CSUSB also had five.
Schmidt has led the Tritons with a record-breaking season with 447 kills, setting a school single-season mark. The previous mark was 439 kills set by Bonnie Wilson during the 2004 season. Schmidt also tied a single-match school-record with 31 kills against Sonoma State in Rohnert Park.
Chen is second all-time at UCSD in career assists, leading the Tritons to a team-hitting percentage of .260, ranking second in the conference.
Brunsting has contributed 467 digs, trying to become just the second student-athlete in school history to record 500 digs. Brunsting is also the team leader in service aces with 56, including seven in a single-match against then No. 7 ranked Minnesota-Duluth.
Williamson earns all-conference honors for the second consecutive year. The sophomore outside hitter was the 2008 CCAA Freshman of the Year. Williamson is second on the team averaging 2.79 kills per set while hitting at a .274 clip. She has also added 227 digs.
Freidenberg has had the second most efficient season in school history, hitting at a .394 clip. The top mark in school history is a .399 mark set by former Triton Katie Hogan. The redshirt freshman is also second on the team with 47 blocks.
2009 All-CCAA Women's Volleyball Team
First Team
Gabriela Bulawczyk, Cal State L.A. (OH, Sr., Sulechow, Poland)
Roxanne Brunsting, UC San Diego (L, So., Chula Vista, Calif.)
Jane Chafeh, Cal State San Bernardino (OH, Jr.,Fontana, Calif.)
Elaine Chen, UC San Diego (S, Sr., Walnut, Calif.)
Gillian Heydorff, Chico State (OH, Sr., Sierra Madre, Calif.)
Sara Hoffman, Cal State San Bernardino (S, Sr., San Clemente, Calif.)
Megan Johnson, Cal State San Bernardino (MB, So., Glendale, Ariz.)
Mary Laupepa, Cal State L.A. (MB, Jr., Carson, Calif.)
Samantha Middleborn, Cal State San Bernardino (MB, So., Rialto, Calif.)
Beth Perkins, San Francisco State (OH, Sr., Woodland, Calif.)
Keala Peterson, Sonoma State (OH, So., Sebastopol, Calif.)
Sylvia Schmidt, UC San Diego (MB, Sr., Cupertino, Calif.)
Makenzie Snyder, Chico State (OH, So., Placerville, Calif.)
Second Team
Lindsay Brown, Sonoma State (S, Sr., Napa, Calif.)
Morgan Carty, Cal State San Bernardino (OPP, So., Upland, Calif.)
Zuzana Cizova, Cal State L.A. (OH, Jr., Zlin, Czech Republic)
Jasmine Davis, Cal Poly Pomona (S, Sr., Pomona, Calif.)
Kaylynne De La Rosa, Cal State L.A. (S, So., Spring Valley, Calif.)
Elizabeth Diaz, Cal Poly Pomona (RS, Sr., Escondido, Calif.)
Rheann Fall, Cal State Monterey Bay (OH, So., Elk Grove, Calif.)
Julia Freidenberg, UC San Diego (MB, Fr., Seattle, Wash.)
Marquis Mora, Cal State L.A. (MB, Fr., Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)
Allyson Sather, Sonoma State (OH, Fr., Santa Rosa, Calif.)
Iris Tolenada, San Francisco State (S, Fr., Antioch, Calif.)
Taylor Krenwinkel, Sonoma State (S, So., San Diego, Calif.)
Hillary Williamson, UC San Diego (OH, So., Orange, Calif.)
Most Valuable Player: Sylvia Schmidt (UC San Diego)
Freshman of the Year: Iris Tolenada (San Francisco State)
Newcomer of the Year: Zuzana Cizova (Cal State L.A.)
Coach of the Year: Kim Cherniss (Cal State San Bernardino)
Courtesy: Jimmy Gekas/Sideline Studios