Erickson, Southward Lead All-Conference Volleyball Selections

NEWS RELEASE
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Matt Stanek * Sports Information Director * 780 Regent Street * Madison, WI 53715 * Phone: (608) 265-6406 * www.uwsa.edu/wiac/

RELEASED: Monday, November 5, 2001

Madison, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's Allison Erickson and UW-Oshkosh's Christina Southward were named the 2001 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) co-Players of the Year, headlining the 12-member All-Conference Women's Volleyball Team, which was recently selected by the conference coaches.

Erickson helped the Warhawks to their fifth conference title in six seasons and an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament by winning the league's postseason tournament. She ranks eighth in the league in hitting percentage (.297) and kills (3.42/g). Erickson is a four-time All-WIAC First Team selection. She was also named to the 2001 All-WIAC Defensive Team, averaging 3.60 digs per game.

Erickson is joined on the First Team by three teammates: Kristy Dettman, Melinda Erickson and Angie Wildish. Dettman leads the league with 13.26 assists per game. She earned All-WIAC Honorable Mention honors last season.

Melinda Erickson is a three-time All-WIAC First Team honoree and ranks second in the league in kills (4.56/g). She is hitting .276 on the season with 3.56 digs per game.

Wildish leads the league in digs (5.61/g) and ranks sixth in kills (3.48/g), while hitting .274. She also earned All-Defensive Team honors and last season was named All-WIAC Honorable Mention.

Oshkosh's Southward helped the Titans to an at-large berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament and their first conference title since 1995. She leads the league in service aces (0.90/g), ranks second in hitting (.421) and assists (12.33/g), and is fourth in digs (4.27/g). Southward also earned All-WIAC Defensive honors and is a four-time All-WIAC First Team selection.

Joining Southward on the First Team are fellow Titans Jessie Goffard and Kristi Kujak. Goffard, a transfer from the University of New Mexico, leads the conference in kills (5.26/g) and ranks third in hitting percentage (.358). She also ranks fifth in service aces (0.59/g) and adds 0.81 blocks per game.

Kujak leads the league in hitting percentage (.443), ranks third in kills (4.37/g) and is fourth in blocks (1.16/g).

Eau Claire's Rachel Gullerud helped the Blugolds to a 23-9 record this season. She ranks fourth in the WIAC in hitting percentage (.315) and kills (3.99/g), while adding 3.71 digs per game. Gullerud was also named to the WIAC All-Defensive Team and earned All-WIAC Honorable Mention honors last season.

La Crosse's Megan Eklund earned First Team honors for the fourth time in her career. She hit .279 this season and ranks fourth in the league with 0.64 service aces per game, while dishing out 10.78 assists per game.

River Falls' Krystle Brune led the squad to the WIAC Tournament semifinals. She contributed a team-leading 2.96 kills per game and hit .256 this season.

Platteville's Brooke Kaiser helped the Pioneers to a 24-10 record this season. She is a two-time All-WIAC performer and leads the league in blocks (1.25/g), while ranking fifth in hitting percentage (.312) and ninth in kills (3.40/g). Kaiser also added 3.14 digs per game this season.

Stout's Kim Roshell earned First Team honors for the first time in her career. She helped the Blue Devils to a 24-9 record, their best season since 1994. Roshell ranks fifth in the conference in kills (3.75/g) and also added 3.34 digs per game this season.

Named to the Honorable Mention squad were: Eau Claire's Andrea Hemple and Brooke Wozniak, La Crosse's Diane Radzajewski, Platteville's Kristen Shields, River Falls' Melissa Tvrdik, Stout's Brooke Palmer and Rachel Eidet and Superior's Sarah Moravchik.

La Crosse's Rachel Ask and Stout's Rachel Eidet were also named to the All-Defensive Team to round out the six-member squad.

Whitewater head coach Kris Russell was selected the 2001 WIAC Coach of the Year by her peers, marking the sixth time in her career she has won the honor. Her teams have been to the NCAA Division III Tournament 14 times in her 21 seasons and have accumulated eight conference titles during her tenure.

2001 WIAC All-Conference Women's Volleyball Team

First Team
Name, School, Year, Position, Hometown (High School)
Krystle Brune, River Falls, Sophomore, Outside Hitter, St. Paul, Minn. (Tartan)
Kristy Dettman, Whitewater, Senior, Setter, Pulaski
Megan Eklund, La Crosse, Senior, Setter, Neenah
Allison Erickson, Whitewater, Senior, Outside Hitter, Ripon
Melinda Erickson, Whitewater, Senior, Outside Hitter, Ripon
Jessie Goffard, Oshkosh, Senior, Outside Hitter, Kimberly
Rachel Gullerud, Eau Claire, Senior, Outside Hitter, Eau Claire (Immanuel Lutheran)
Brooke Kaiser, Platteville, Senior, Middle Hitter, Warren, Ill.
Kristi Kujak, Oshkosh, Junior, Middle Blocker, Fountain City (Cochrane-Fountain City)
Kim Roshell, Stout, Senior, Outside Hitter, Cornell (Cadott)
Christina Southward, Oshkosh, Senior, Setter, St. Anthony, Minn.
Angie Wildish, Whitewater, Junior, Outside Hitter, Menomonee Falls

Honorable Mention
Rachel Eidet, Stout, Senior, Outside Hitter, North Mankato, Minn. (Mankato West)
Andrea Hemple, Eau Claire, Junior, Setter, Belleville
Sarah Moravchik, Superior, Senior, Middle Hitter, Clear Lake, Minn. (Becker)
Brooke Palmer, Stout, Senior, Middle Hitter, Mantorville, Minn. (Kasson-Mantorville)
Diane Radzajewski, La Crosse, Junior, Middle Hitter, Willow Springs, Ill. (Lyons Township)
Kristen Shields, Platteville, Senior, Outside Hitter, Montfort (Iowa-Grant)
Melissa Tvrdik, River Falls, Sophomore, Middle Hitter, Farwell, Minn. (Minnewaska Area)
Brooke Wozniak, Eau Claire, Sophomore, Middle Hitter, Stanley (Stanley-Boyd)

All-Defensive Team
Rachel Ask, La Crosse, Sophomore, Outside Hitter, St. Charles, Minn.
Rachel Eidet, Stout, Senior, Outside Hitter, North Mankato, Minn. (Mankato West)
Allison Erickson, Whitewater, Senior, Outside Hitter, Ripon
Rachel Gullerud, Eau Claire, Senior, Outside Hitter, Eau Claire (Immanuel Lutheran)
Christina Southward, Oshkosh, Senior, Setter, St. Anthony, Minn.
Angie Wildish, Whitewater, Junior, Outside Hitter, Menomonee Falls

Co-Players of the Year: Allison Erickson (Whitewater) and Christina Southward (Oshkosh)

Judy Kruckman Tri-Scholar-Athletes: Megan Eklund (La Crosse), Allison Erickson (Whitewater) and Rachel Gullerud (Eau Claire)

Coach of the Year: Kris Russell (Whitewater)

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