Horizon League announces postseason volleyball honors

Nov. 19, 2008

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INDIANAPOLIS -- Twenty-two individuals have earned 2008 Horizon League volleyball postseason honors. The list is highlighted by four specialty award winners -- Susie Johnson (Coach of the Year), Angie Porche (Player of the Year), Brittany Malicoat (Defensive Player of the Year) and Kelsey Labrum (Newcomer of the Year).

Johnson earns the league's top coaching award after guiding the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to a 20-8 overall record and 13-3 league mark. The Panthers have recorded at least 20 wins 11 times over the past 12 seasons and own a 144-18 (.889) conference mark during that same stretch.

Porche and Malicoat have led Valparaiso University to its seventh straight year of at least 20 victories. The Crusaders, who are 23-6 overall and 12-4 in league play, have won 12 straight matches and 16 of their last 17 overall. Valpo has also won 21 consecutive sets in conference action.

Valparaiso closes out the regular season with national rankings in kills (1st, 15.24), assists (1st, 14.21) and digs (31st, 16.49) per set. Porche, a junior outside hitter from Lynwood, Ill., ranks fifth in the country in kills (4.64 per set), while Malicoat, a senior libero from Elkhart, Ind., places 14th in digs (5.25 per set).

Porche, a two-time Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week this season, has reached the double-figure kill mark in 50 consecutive matches. Malicoat, a two-time HL Defensive Player of the Week, is Valparaiso's all-time digs leader and ranks among the top 25 in NCAA Division I history (2,250).

Labrum has helped Butler University to an 18-10 overall record and 8-8 conference mark this season. The Bulldogs have tied the 2004 team for the program's best winning percentage since 1997.

Labrum, sophomore outside hitter from Granger, Ind., ranks third on her squad with 3.08 points and 2.56 kills per set this year. She also places third in the Horizon League with a team-best 32 service aces.

All four Valparaiso nominees have garnered All-League honors as senior Allison Sears and junior Kim Bukowski join Porche and Malicoat. Sears paces the Crusaders in hitting percentage (.258), while Bukowski leads her team in assists per set (11.40).

Three Milwaukee nominees have picked up All-League honors -- senior Becky Peters, junior Lauren Felsing and sophomore Maddie Sueppel. Peters leads the Panthers in kills per set (3.52), while Felsing tops the team charts in digs per set (5.07) and Sueppel in hitting percentage (.277).

Butler and Wright State University have two All-League picks apiece. Junior Porshia Allen and sophomore Jessica Wolfe get a nod for the Bulldogs, while senior Lizzy Gunn and sophomore Shaunda Sandifer receive honors for the Raiders.

The 14-person All-League group is rounded out by Loyola University Chicago senior Sarah Singer, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay senior Megan Elfering and Cleveland State University sophomore Amy Benz.

The 2008 Horizon League Volleyball Championship begins on Thursday when No. 8 University of Illinois at Chicago and No. 9 Youngstown State University square off at 6 p.m. ET.

Friday's schedule includes four quarterfinals as No. 1 Milwaukee faces the winner of Thursday's match (11:30 a.m.), No. 4 Loyola takes on No. 5 Butler (2 p.m.), No. 2 Valparaiso battles No. 7 Green Bay (5 p.m.) and No. 3 Wright State tangles with No. 6 Cleveland State (7:30 p.m.).

The semifinals are slated for Saturday (12:30 and 3 p.m.) with the championship set for Sunday (12 p.m.). All matches will be shown live on the Horizon League Network (www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv).

  

ALL-LEAGUE HONOREES
Angie Porche (Valparaiso)
Becky Peters (Milwaukee)
Brittany Malicoat (Valparaiso)
Shaunda Sandifer (Wright State)
Porshia Allen (Butler)
Maddie Sueppel (Milwaukee)
Sarah Singer (Loyola)
Amy Benz (Cleveland State)
Kim Bukowski (Valparaiso)
Jessica Wolfe (Butler)
Lizzy Gunn (Wright State)
Lauren Felsing (Milwaukee)
Megan Elfering (Green Bay)
Allison Sears (Valparaiso)

ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM
Kelsey Labrum (Butler)
Jordan Goad (Cleveland State)
Kerri Schuh (Milwaukee)
Michelle Hammond (Wright State)
Melissa Joyce (Green Bay)
Samantha Trawitzke (Milwaukee)
Leilani Tafuna (Wright State)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Angie Porche (Valparaiso)

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Brittany Malicoat (Valparaiso)

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Kelsey Labrum (Butler)

COACH OF THE YEAR
Susie Johnson (Milwaukee)