Carli Kolbe, Kim Black and Kym Loving, the three seniors who have lead Sam Houston State to a 17-12 season record and a Southland Conference post-season tournament berth this fall, all have earned spots on the 2011 All-Southland Conference volleyball team.
Kolbe and Black are first team honorees while Loving is an honorable mention selection.
The selection marks Kolbe's third consecutive season to be named as a first team All-Southland Conference player. The College Station product thus becomes the first Bearkat ever to earn Southland first team honors three years in a row.
Kolbe leads the Southland in kills this year with 366. She has averaged 4.07 kills per set. She is one of only seven players in Sam Houston volleyball history to crack the 1,000 mark in both career kills and career digs. For her Bearkat career, Kolbe ranks No. 1 in attempts (4,744), No. 5 in kills (1,535), No. 11 in digs (1,230) and No. 16 in blocks (208).
This year Kolbe has produced 21 double figure kill performances this fall including her last 11 matches in a row. Kolbe is the Bearkats' top scorer with 412 points this season including 306 kills, 43 blocks and 22 service aces.
Black earns all-league honors for the second year in a row after being an honorable mention selection as a junior.
The Huntsville product is the Bearkats' second leading scorer with 334 points. She has totaled 249 kills and ranks fifth in the Southland in total blocks with 121. Black has 11 double figure kill performances to her credit this fall.
Black has climbed to No. 2 in Sam Houston career blocks with 351. In 100 matches as a Bearkat, Black has totaled 636 kills, 59 aces and 231 digs.
Loving has assisted on 1,131 of Sam Houston's 1,403 total kills this season. She ranks fourth in the Southland Conference in service aces (41) and sixth in assists. She has produced nine double-figure dig performances and averages 2.12 digs per set.
Loving stands No. 4 in all-time Sam Houston assists with a career total o 3,777. Having appeared in 132 matches for the Bearkats, she holds career marks of 111 aces, 922 digs and 248 kills.
Sam Houston is the No. 3 seed in the Southland Conference post-season tournament which begins Friday in Conway, Arkansas. The Bearkats produced an 11-5 Southland mark this season and will face No. 6 seed UT-Arlington in the first round of the tournament.
2011 All-Southland Conference Volleyball Team
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First Team
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Name
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School
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Pos.
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Cl.
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Hometown
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Amber Calhoun
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Texas State
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MB
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Sr.
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Houston, Texas
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McKenzie Adams
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UTSA
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MB
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So.
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Schertz, Texas
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Amari Deardorff
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Texas State
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RS
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So.
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Austin, Texas
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Carli Kolbe
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Sam Houston State
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OH
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Sr.
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College Station, Texas
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Whitney Walls
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UTSA
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RS
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Jr.
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Arlington, Texas
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Nicole Bowden
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McNeese State
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MB
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Sr.
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Houston, Texas
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Kelsey Schwirtlich
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UTSA
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S
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So.
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Corpus Christi, Texas
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Alicia Shaffer
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UT Arlington
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L
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Jr.
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Magnolia, Texas
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Kim Black
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Sam Houston State
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MB
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Sr.
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Huntsville, Texas
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Caleigh McCorquodale
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Texas State
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S
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Jr.
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Cypress, Texas
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Tara Frantz
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UT Arlington
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OH
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Sr.
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Santa Fe, Texas
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Kelsey Jewasko
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UTSA
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L
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Sr.
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San Antonio, Texas
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Second Team
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Name
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School
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Pos.
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Cl.
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Hometown
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Marissa Collins
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Central Arkansas
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S
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So.
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Pearland, Texas
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Stacey DiFrancesco
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Northwestern State
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OH
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Fr.
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The Woodlands, Texas
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Madison Hanlan
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Stephen F. Austin
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L
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Jr.
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Arlington, Texas
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Brittney Malloy
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UTSA
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MB
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Jr.
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San Antonio, Texas
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Sierra Whittaker
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Lamar
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OH
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So.
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Houston, Texas
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Melissa Toth
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Texas State
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OH
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So.
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Phoenix, Ariz
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Honorable Mention: Cristin Curl, L, Central Arkansas; Taylor Hammonds, RS, Central Arkansas; Alex Morford, S, Lamar; Amanda Aguilera, OH, UT Arlington; Kym Loving, S, Sam Houston State; Sabrina Burns, MB, Stephen F. Austin; Brooke Alverson, MB, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; Paige Dollison, MB, Southeastern Louisiana.
Individual Award Winners
Player of the Year - Amber Calhoun, Texas State
Libero of the Year - Alicia Shaffer, UT Arlington
Freshman of the Year - Stacey DiFrancesco, Northwestern State
Setter of the Year - Kelsey Schwirtlich, UTSA
Newcomer of the Year - McKenzie Adams, UTSA
Coach of the Year - Karen Chisum, Texas State
