Nov. 18, 2004
PLANO - Lamar volleyball players Molli Abel and Buchi Okoh earned All-Southland Conference honorable mention for the 2004 season, according to a vote by the league's head coaches and sports information directors, announced Thursday by SLC officials.
Abel and Okoh were among 15 student-athletes who were named honorable mention, while 18 student-athletes were named to the first, second and third team all-SLC squads.
Abel, a freshman from Friendswood, led the Lady Cardinals with 442 kills and ranked eighth in the SLC with 3.81 kills per game. She recorded five double-doubles during her rookie season and finished the year with 181 digs and 85 blocks.
Okoh, a sophomore from Houston, ranked second on the team with 348 kills and posted a team-high .263 hitting percentage. She led the team and ranked seventh in the league with 111 blocks (1.01 b/pg).
Stephen F. Austin's Brittany Burton took home Player of the Year honors, while teammate Stephanie Figgers won Libero of the Year and J.J. Jones nabbed Freshman of the Year. SFA head coach Debbie Humphreys earned the Katrinka Jo Crawford Coach of the Year after leading the Ladyjacks to a co-championship with Texas State during the regular season.
Krystal Kolkhorst of Texas State won the Setter of the Year award and Trisha Seale, a junior outside hitter from McNeese State, won Newcomer of the Year.
2004 ALL-SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Brittany Burton, Sr., MB, Stephen F. Austin, Livingston, Texas/Livingston HS
Kacee Rogers, Sr., MB, Texas State, Austin, Texas/Stephen F. Austin HS
Nicole James, Sr., OH, McNeese State, White Oak, Texas/White Oak HS
Krystal Kolkhorst, Sr., S, Texas State, Houston, Texas/Cypress Falls HS
Ashley Van Antwerp, Jr., OH, Texas-Arlington, Colleyville, Texas/Colleyville Heritage
Meagan Daniel, So., OH, Texas-San Antonio, Hereford, Texas/Hereford HS
SECOND TEAM
Heather Dunn, Sr., S, Texas-Arlington, Arlington, Texas/Arlington HS
Atina Porter, So., OH, Nicholls State, Destrehan, La./Destrehan HS
Alisha Fowler, Jr., MB, Sam Houston State, Diboll, Texas/Diboll HS
Caley Smith, Sr., MB, Texas-Arlington, Alvin, Texas/Alvin HS
Stephanie Figgers, So., L, Stephen F. Austin, Katy, Texas/Taylor HS
Elizabeth Nwoke, Jr., OH, Texas State, Houston, Texas/Memorial HS
THIRD TEAM
Chrissy Engle, Jr., MB, Sam Houston State, Tarkington, Texas/Tarkington HS
Trisha Seale, Jr., OH, McNeese State, Stafford, Ariz./Eastern Arizona JC
Karlee Butler, Sr., S, Sam Houston State, Red Oak, Texas/Red Oak HS
J.J. Jones, Fr., S, Stephen F. Austin, Allen, Texas/Allen HS
Brittany Gaydos, Sr., L, Southeastern Louisiana, Mansfield, Texas/Tarleton State
Kristy Jones, Sr., DS/L, Texas State, Willis, Texas/Willis HS
HONORABLE MENTION
Molli Abel, MB/OH, LU; KaLeigh Butler, MB, NICH; Laura Cramer, OH, SFA; Beth Freeland, MB, NWLa.; Whitney King, OH, NWLa.; Deborah Kirkham, OH, SFA; Erin McMillan, L, UTSA; ; Buchi Okoh, MB, LU; Connie Picard, MB, UTSA; Morgan Rogers, OH, UTA; Ashley Rougeou, MB, SLU; Brandy St. Francis, MB, TXST; Jessica Strama, L, McN; DeeDee Strickland, S, UTSA; Stephanie Torregrosa, OH, TXST.
INDIVIDUAL SUPERLATIVES
PLAYER OF THE YEAR -- Brittany Burton, Outside Hitter, Senior, Stephen F. Austin
LIBERO OF THE YEAR -- Stephanie Figgers, Sophomore, Stephen F. Austin
SETTER OF THE YEAR -- Krystal Kolkhorst, Senior, Texas State
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR -- Trisha Seale, Outside Hitter, Junior, McNeese State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR -- J.J. Jones, Setter, Stephen F. Austin
KATRINKA JO CRAWFORD COACH OF THE YEAR -- Debbie Humphreys, Stephen F. Austin
