Nov. 19, 2003

WASHINGTON- Senior Karla Kucerkova (Olomouc, Czech Republic/Brno) was named Patriot League Player of the Year for the third straight year, while teammates Sabrina Vasconselos (Fortalezza, Brazil/Colegio Christus) and Cutrina Biddulph (Reseda, Calif./Granada Hills) will join her as members of the First Team All-Patriot League Team and Natasha Cornaz (Lausanne, Switzerland/Gymnase Auguste Piccard) and Courtney Mulford (San Diego, Calif./La Costa Canyon) will represent the Eagles on the Second Team All-Patriot League Team.

In her time as an Eagle, senior Kucerkova has become one of the most successful athletes in school history, leading her team to 42 consecutive regular season Patriot League victories. She has also been an instrumental part in pushing American University volleyball into the national spotlight for both her academic and athletic accomplishments as the 2002 Verizon Academic All-American Player of the Year, as well as a member of the Northeast Regional All-America Team. She is also the first Patriot League athlete to be named Player of the Year three times in succession.

In her final season, Kucerkova has not only led the Patriot League, she currently is ranked ninth in the nation in kills per game. Adding to her accomplishments, she recently broke the nine-year-old record for most career kills, which previously stood at 1660. She also broke the 12-year-old record for most kills per game as she recorded 27 kills in three games against Lehigh earlier in the season.

Biddulph will join Kucerkova on the First Team All-Patriot League Team for her outstanding performance as a sophomore. Biddulph has led the Eagles offensively with 36 service aces and 2.58 kills per game. Defensively, Biddulph has been a strong force for the Eagles, averaging 1.21 digs per game and 0.57 blocks per game. Vasconselos will also represent AU on the First Team for leading the Eagles in assists (7.12) and service aces (38), while Cornaz and Mulford will represent the Eagles on the Second Team All-Patriot League team.

Cornaz has also been a dominant force, leading the Eagles with 0.66 blocks per game and the team's second highest attack percentage, at .285. In her junior year, Mulford has proven herself as a distinguished member of the AU volleyball team with her 34 total blocks and 402 assists.

The Eagle volleyball team will look towards its third straight Patriot League championship as they face the Army Black Knights at Noon on Nov. 22 in the first round of the tournament.