Budde, Fisher Lead Five WUSTL Volleyball All-America Selections
BANQUET PHOTOS
St. Louis, Mo., November 17, 2011 – Washington University in St. Louis senior middle blocker Lauren Budde and junior setter Marilee Fisher were both honored as 2011 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III First-Team All-Americans, as announced Thursday by the AVCA Banquet in St. Louis, Mo.
In addition to Budde and Fisher on the first team, junior libero Kelly Pang were named to the second team, junior outside hitter Drew Hargrave was selected to the third team and sophomore outside hitter Meghan Byrne received honorable-mention accolades. All five student-athletes also represented Washington U. on the 2011 AVCA Division III Central Region All-Region First Team.
Budde earned first-team honors for the first time in her career after earning Third-Team All-America honors in 2010. She led the Bears with 449 kills, 53 service aces, and 100 blocks, while ranking second on the team with 318 digs in her senior season. On Oct. 2, Budde became the eighth player in Washington University volleyball history to surpass 1,000 career kills and digs. She finished her career with 1,312 kills and 1,153 digs. Budde’s 1,312 kills rank ninth on the Bears’ all-time career kills list. This season, Budde also became the 12th Washington U. student-athlete to garner University Athletic Association (UAA) Most Valuable Player honors.
Fisher was selected as a First-Team All-American for the second-straight season. This season, she posted 1,190 assists, averaging 11.23 per set, along with 42 service aces. After three collegiate seasons, Fisher ranks fourth on Washington U.’s all-time career assists leaders with 4,315 assists. In addition to her two-time First-Team honors, Fisher was a Second-Team All-American in 2009 as a freshman.
Pang received her third All-America honors of her career, landing on the 2011 Second Team after receiving First-Team accolades the past two years. In 2011, Pang tallied 561 digs for an average of 5.15 per set, and 39 service aces. Pang was named the D3VB National Player of the Week on Nov. 8 after helping the Bears win their 20th UAA title in school history, including 30 digs in a 3-2 comeback win over Emory University in the championship match. Pang set a Washington U. NCAA Tournament record with 35 digs in the Regional Championship match on Nov. 13. Heading into her senior season, Pang ranks second on the Bears’ all-time career digs list with 1,846.
Hargrave picked up her first All-America accolade after averaging 3.29 kills per set this season. She was third on the team with 280 kills. Hargrave is a two-time All-Region honoree, and also received All-UAA Second-Team honors in 2011.
Byrne was an honorable-mention honoree for the second-consecutive season. Byrne finished the season with 308 kills, which ranked second on the team, for an average of 3.02 kills per set. She also had 28 service aces in her sophomore year. Byrne was also a 2011 All-UAA Second-Team member.
To view the complete list of 2011 AVCA Division III All-Americans, visit www.avca.org.