Nov. 13, 2007

Complete Release in PDF Format

Center Valley, Pa. - American, Army and Colgate each had a League-high three student-athletes named to the 2007 All-Patriot League Volleyball Team. The remaining five members of the All-Patriot League Team were made up of one student-athlete from Bucknell, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh and Navy.

Two of American's three All-Patriot League selections were named to the first team - senior Chelsa Brooks and junior Rubena Sukaj. Brooks is third in the Patriot League with a .324 hitting percentage and has registered 96 blocks this year and 413 in her career for eighth on the League's all-time list. In Patriot League competition, her .447 hitting percentage is tops. Sukaj leads the Patriot League in kills (5.42) and aces (0.70), ranking third and seventh, respectively, in the nation. The 2006 Patriot League Player of the Year has recorded 10 double-doubles and posted 30+ kills four times this season. Both Sukaj and Brooks are three-time All-Patriot League honorees, while Brooks was the 2004 Patriot League Rookie of the Year and the Patriot League Tournament MVP in 2005.

The Eagles' Second-Team All-Patriot League mention was sophomore Ivana Cebakova, who ranks third in the Patriot League in digs per game (3.78). In Patriot League matches, she averages an even better 4.16 digs per game.

Army also placed two student-athletes on the first team, with juniors Jamie Clark and Rachael Breinling being honored. Clark's .372 hitting percentage is first in the Patriot League and 28th in the nation. The two-time All-Patriot League selection averages 3.25 kills per game and reached double-digit kills in 17 matches this year. In Patriot League matches, Breinling posted the third-best attack percentage in the League (.376). She ranks among League leaders in kills (3.47) and blocks (0.98).

Sophomore Maureen Bannon represented Army as a Second-Team All-Patriot League member. Bannon was tabbed Rookie of the Year, Co-Setter of the Year and Second-Team All-Patriot League a season ago. This year, she ranked first in the League in assists per game with 11.92 in overall matches and 13.43 in League play. She posted seven assist-dig double-doubles this season.

Colgate placed Katrina Zawojski on the First-Team All-Patriot list for the second year in a row, after being named to the second team in her rookie season. Zawojski ranks among Patriot League leaders in kills per game (3.86) and hitting percentage (.286). The junior right-side hitter recorded double-digit kills in 20 matches and reached 30 kills on Oct. 20.

Second-team members for Colgate include junior Jackie Adlam and freshman Casey Ritt. Adlam has totaled a League-best 464 digs this season for a 4.69 per game average. She currently ranks third on the Patriot League's career digs list with 1,566. The Raiders' libero has been named Second-Team All-Patriot League three times and was last year's Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year. Ritt had 13 double-digit kill matches to her credit this year. She has recorded 86 blocks for the highest total among Patriot League freshmen.

Bucknell's Jenna Henderson

For the second year in a row, Bucknell's Jenna Henderson was tabbed First-Team All-Patriot League. Henderson is third in the Patriot League in kills with 4.41 per game. The senior outside hitter became Bucknell's all-time kills leader this year, ending her career with (1,403). She is also only the second Bison in school history to tally 1,000+ career kills and 1,000+ career digs.

Navy's Rachel Dougherty rounds out the First-Team All-Patriot League squad with her first career mention. Dougherty ranks second in the Patriot League with 4.53 kills per game in all matches and 4.96 kills per game in League contests. The senior outside hitter reached double-digit kills 26 times this season, including 30 on Nov. 6.

Holy Cross' Christine Strawson was honored on the Second-Team All-Patriot League list for the third time in her career. Strawson holds the Holy Cross all-time record for career kills with 1,246. This year she averaged 4.00 kills per game and recorded double-digit kills in 19 matches with 10 double-doubles.

Earning Second-Team All-Patriot League recognition for the second time in her career was Lafayette's Michaela Donohue. With 433 digs this season, Donohue became the Patriot League's career digs leader. Donohue ended her career with 1,610 digs. The senior outside hitter posted nine kill-dig doubles-doubles this year.

Lafayette's Michaela Donohue

The final member of the 2007 All-Patriot League Second-Team was Lehigh's Shannon Spafford. Spafford averaged 3.50 kills per game in Patriot League matches this year and totaled 76 blocks overall. The senior middle blocker came up with six double-doubles.

The 2007 Patriot League Major Awards will be announced on Thursday, Nov. 15 at the Patriot League Tournament banquet. The major awards include Patriot League Player, Defensive Player, Setter, Rookie and Coach of the Year.

2007 Volleyball All-Patriot League Team

First Team