Melissa Vanderhall Named First Team All-American

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced the 28th annual AVCA All-America teams for NCAA Division II women's volleyball. University of Tampa sophomore Melissa Vanderhall was chosen to the first team while Danielle MacDonald was an honorable mention choice. Head coach Chris Catanach was also named the South Region Coach of the Year.

Vanderhall, an outside hitter from Hempstead, N.Y., is a first time All-American and the 17th first-team selection in UT volleyball history. The Sunshine State Conference and South Region Player of the Year helped Tampa to a 27-5 record while guiding the Spartans to a SSC championship and NCAA South Regional bid. She finished as the team leader in kills (381), block solos (21) and points (456.5).

MacDonald, a senior from Barberville, was an honorable mention selection while placing second on the team in kills (288), hitting percentage (.351), blocks (75) and points (330.5). She was also an All-South Region selection and second-team all-SSC performer.

Catanach earns South Region Coach of the Year honors for the fourth year in a row and has now earned the award a total of 12 times. With a career record of 779-151, he became the SSC's all-time winningest coach in 2008 and currently ranks third in victories among NCAA II coaches.

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2008 AVCA DIVISION II FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICA
Danielle Alexander, Grand Valley State
Angie Alvord, Western Washington
Katie Gangelhoff, University of Minnesota-Duluth
Jessica Granados, California State San Bernardino
Sara Hoffman, California State San Bernardino
Linda Igbinigie, Pittsburg State
Ting Liu, Emporia State
Maggie McNamara, Concordia-St. Paul
Monica Miesner, Washburn
Rhe-Ann Niles, New Haven
Emily Palkert, Concordia-St. Paul
Laura Prinsen, West Texas A&M
Melissa Vanderhall, Tampa
Jeri Walkowiak, Nebraska-Kearney

2008 AVCA DIVISION II SECOND-TEAM ALL-AMERICA
Ludmila Amaral, California Pennsylvania
Jamie Ashmore, Grand Valley State
Rhea Cardwell, Alaska-Anchorage
Allie Cherven, Truman State
Natalie Forbes, Northern Kentucky
Whitney Meierotto, Concordia-St. Paul
Camilla Pagnan, Barry
Valia Petrova, Nova Southeastern
Luciana Rapach, West Florida
Whitney Sanders, North Alabama
Mary Slinger, Concordia-St. Paul
Maria Steinhagen, Concordia-St. Paul
Vanessa Williams, Cal Poly Pomona
Sarah Wyffels, Minnesota Dulutha

2008 AVCA DIVISION II THIRD-TEAM ALL-AMERICA
Rebecca Bailey, California San Diego
Gabriela Bulawcyzk, California State Los Angeles
Pamela Cartagena, Pittsburg State
Renata da Silva, California Pennsylvania
Danielle Higginbotham, Florida Southern
Jessica Howe, Regis
Kasey Loeslie, Southwest Minnesota State
Eli Medina, Truman State
Ashley Nachreiner, Minnesota State Mankato
Michelle Nogueras, Saint Leo
Melissa Powers, Catawba
Arica Shepard, Emporia State
Andrea Tuck, Adams State
Sammie Williams, Pittsburg State

2008 AVCA Division II Freshman of the Year: Maja Potpara, Dowling
2008 AVCA Division II Player of the Year: Maggie McNamara, Concordia-St. Paul

2008 AVCA Division II Honorable Mention All-America
Stacey Bennet, Western Oregon
Stacey Borgia, Lock Haven
Erica Brick, Chico State
Emily Carle, Nova Southeastern
Molly Cindric, Merrimack
Charisse Cotton, New Haven
Devin Deidrich, Southwest Minnesota State
Cammy Dranginis, Northwest Nazarene
Danielle Durham, Florida Southern
Stormi Gale, Wingate
Madeline Gonzalez, West Florida
Sarha Gosselin, Wayne State
Allison Gotz, Western Washington
April Hansen, Minnesota Duluth
Jessica Hansen, North Alabama
Melissa Harper, West Texas A&M
Meghan Hass, Cal State San Bernardino
Allie Huffman, Central Missouri
Jen Jung, Michigan Tech
Melissa Keck, Truman
Sadie Kessler, Concordia-St. Paul
Kim Kvapil, Incarnate Word
Camila Lins, Lynn
Danielle McDonald, Tampa
Kaitlin McKenna, Saint Leo
Josimara Pinheiro, Hawai'i-Hilo
Maja Potpara, Dowling
Sarah Redoute, Saginaw Valley State
Sara Rice, Cal State San Bernardino
Katie Rickwartz, West Texas A&M
Beth Robbins, Indianapolis
Daris Rodriguez, Lynn
Yael Rosner, New Haven
Kristi Sather, Sonoma State
Nikki Scott, Nebraska-Kearney
Fabiane Seben, Hawai'i-Hilo
Hannah Segebart, Armtrong Atlantic
Cola Svec, Nebraska-Kearney
Kyleigh Turner, Indianapolis
Brandie Vea, Central Washington
Ursula Vieira, Cal State Los Angeles
Kelsey Wesaw, Northern Kentucky