GVSU's Rapin and Hillsdale's Crowder Earn AVCA First-Team All-America Honors

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LEXINGTON, Ky. – Two Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) student-athletes were named to the 2010 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II All-America First Team. Midwest Region "Player of the Year", Grand Valley State University senior Rebeccah Rapin (Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel), and 2010 GLIAC "Player of the Year" , Hillsdale College junior Ashlee Crowder (Jenison, Mich.) each earned first-team accolades.

Ferris State University senior middle blocker Arielle Goodson (Grand Rapids, Michigan/Central)  earned Second Team All-American honors, while Hillsdale junior middle blocker Clara Leutheuser (Hillsdale, Michigan/Academy) garnered Third Team All-American accolades.  Hillsdale senior libero Sydney Dow (Jonesville, Mich.) and Wayne State University sophomore middle blocker Katarzyna Sak (Warren, Mich./Cousino) were both named to the "Honorable Mention" team.

Rebeccah Rapin, a 6-1 middle blocker for Grand Valley State University, is a senior from Saginaw, Mich. Ranked nationally in blocks per set and hitting percentage, Rapin topped GVSU as an all-time leader in blocks and block assists, while ranking in the top-10 in three other statistical categories. The Daktronics Midwest Region Player of the Year, this is the first time Rapin has received AVCA All-America honors.

Ashlee Crowder, a 6-0 outside hitter for Hillsdale College, is a junior from Jenison, Mich. Named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Crowder leads the Chargers in kills and is ranked among the top in the nation in kills per set. An All-GLIAC First-Team pick, Crowder is receiving AVCA All-America honors for the second time.

Arielle Goodson, a 6-2 middle blocker for Ferris State University, is a senior from Grand Rapids, Mich.  She ranks nationally in the top-20 in kills per set and top-10 in points per set while accumulating over 1,000 kills in her career as a Bulldog.  This is the first time Goodson has been named an AVCA All-American. A two-time (2009 and 2010) All-GLIAC First-Team pick, Goodson recently garnered Daktronics, Inc. All-Midwest Region laurels and was named to the 2010 GLIAC All-Tournament Team. Goodson, who's a two-time (2009 and 2010) AVCA All-Midwest Region selection, totaled a career season-best 428 kills for the 2010 campaign.

Clara Leutheuser, a 6-1 middle blocker for the Hillsdale College, is a junior from Hillsdale, Mich. Ranked among the national leaders in both blocks per set and hitting percentage, Leutheuser earned First-Team All-GLIAC honors while keying the Chargers to the GLIAC Tournament Championship. Leutheuser, the MVP of the GLIAC Tournament, is picking up her first AVCA All-America honor.

The complete 2010 AVCA Division II All-America Teams are below:

* indicates 2009 AVCA First-Team All-America selection

% indicates 2009 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection

& indicates 2009 AVCA Third-Team All-America selection

$ indicates 2008 AVCA First-Team All-America selection

^ indicates 2008 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection

@ indicates 2008 AVCA Third-Team All-America selection

! indicates 2007 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection

2010 AVCA Division II Freshman of the Year: Amanda Konetchy, Concordia University St. Paul, S

2010 AVCA Division II Player of the Year: announced December 1, 2010

2010 AVCA Division II Honorable Mention All-America

Kellie Bartman (Clarion, OH, Jr.)

Roxanne Brunsting (UC San Diego, OH/S, Jr.)

Lyndsay Callahan (Indianapolis, DS/Lib., Sr.)

Cara Carson (Southwest Minnesota State, S, Jr.)

Sydney Dow (Hillsdale, DS/Lib., Sr.)

Rheann Fall (Cal State Monterey Bay, OH, Jr.)

Xuan  Gao (Lock Haven, OH, So.)

Abby  Gruenbacher (Central Missouri, RS/Opp., Sr.)

Katlyn Heiserman (Nebraska-Kearney, DS/Lib., Sr.)

Anna  Herold (Seattle Pacific, DS/Lib., Jr.)

Julie Howlett (Tampa, DS/Lib., Jr.)

Allie Huffman (Central Missouri, OH, Jr.)

Emily Jepsen (Western Washington, MB, Jr.)

Patrycja Klekotka (Dowling, RS/Opp., Sr.)

Taylor Krenwinkle (Sonoma State, DS/Lib., Jr.)

Katie Kuffel (Minnesota-Duluth, RS/Opp., Sr.)

Cortney Lundberg (Alaska-Anchorage, MB, Sr.)

Sam Macks (Tampa, MB, Sr.)

Sara Malmlov (New Haven, OH, Sr.)

Terry Masava (Bridgeport, OH, Sr.)

Bri Morley (Metro State, OH, Jr.)

Agatha Mukisa-Baliddawa (Bridgeport, MB, Sr.)

Bradye Peniston (Central Missouri, MB, So.)

Keala Peterson (Sonoma State, OH, Jr.)

Sarah Roberts (North Alabama, MB, Sr.)

Ashlee Russell (Missouri Southern State, OH, Sr.)

Katarzyna Sak (Wayne State [Mich.], MB, So.)

Lauren Seliga (Lewis, OH, Sr.)

Molly  Smith (Washburn, DS/Lib., Sr.)

Kady Try (Central Washington, OH, Sr.)

Sarah Von Lienen (Arkansas Tech, MB, Sr.)

Meg  Weathersby (Flagler, MB, Sr.)