Five Sea Gulls earn AVCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region honors
LEXINGTON, KY - The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) released the 2008 Division III All-Region teams and Salisbury University had five players represented on the Mid-Atlantic teams. Senior Stacey Krebs, junior Rachel Downes, junior Gabby Long and sophomore Alexandria Malesick were all named to the first team. Senior Jaime Marzocchi received honorable mention accolades.
Downes makes her first career appearance on the AVCA All-Region team. The 2008 All-Capital Athletic Conference first team selection put together an impressive season for the Sea Gulls as she racked up 313 kills, 338 digs and 34 service aces. Her .286 hitting percentage helped guide the Sea Gulls to seventh in the nation in hitting percentage (.278). The junior is one of four players to start and play in all 38 matches. She led the team in sets played with 119. Downes was named the AVCA Division III National Volleyball Player of the Week on October 28 after producing three straight double-doubles in the Sea Hawk Invitational. The Salisbury, Md., native was named MVP of the Garnet Classic on September 14. The junior has also been named CAC Player of the Week twice this season (September 15 and October 27). In her three-year career, she has 841 kills and 785 digs.
Krebs, the two-time CAC Volleyball Player of the Year, is a first team All-Region selection for the second consecutive season. She led the team and CAC in kills (400) and kills per game (3.42). The Eldersburg, Md., native had 328 digs, 64 blocks and 28 service aces in 37 matches played. She was second on the team with 117 sets played. Krebs, the programs first-ever All-American (third team in 2007), became the all-time career kills leader at SU on September 5 against Eastern Mennonite, breaking the former mark of 1,366 held by Donna Hudson. Her efforts have propelled SU to 21st in the nation in kills per set (12.5). The three-time All-CAC first team selection is third on the team in hitting percentage (.287) and fifth in blocks (64). She was named MVP of the SU Invitational on September 27. Krebs was named to the all-tournament team for both the Garnet Classic and Green Terror Invitational. She was named the CAC Player of the Week for the week of October 13. The senior ends her career at Salisbury with 1,734 kills.
Long receives her second consecutive All-Region award as she was an honorable mention selection a year ago. The All-CAC first teamer is Salisbury's defensive specialist as she led the squad with 641 digs. She was tops in the CAC and 35th in the nation in digs per set (5.51). The Bel Air, Md., product had 55 service aces and an average of 0.47 service aces per game, which was 10th in the CAC. She was named to the all-tournament team for both the Sea Gull Classic and the Seahawk Invitational. Long had an outstanding game for Salisbury in the first round of the NCAA tournament against Richard Stockton when she registered 19 digs and three service aces. The junior will enter her senior season at SU with 1,755 digs, which ranks third all-time in school history.
Malesick receives her first AVCA All-Region first team honor. She was one of four Sea Gulls to start and play in all 38 matches. The sophomore was second on the team in blocks (82) and blocks per game (0.74). The 2008 All-CAC second team selection is first on the team in hitting percentage (.322) and fourth on the team in kills (227) and kills per set (2.05). Malesick, who transferred from Anne Arundel Community College, played in 111 sets for SU this season. The Arnold, Md., native had an outstanding game for Salisbury in the CAC Championship against St. Mary's (Md.) College when she registered a team-high 13 kills.
Marzocchi is making her first career appearance on the AVCA All-Region team. The honorable mention selection had 1,112 assists this season. The Harrington Park, N.J., native led the CAC and is 31st in the nation in assists per set (9.84). Marzocchi's career assist total of 2,611 ranks third all-time in school history and her 1,559 digs ranks fourth all-time. The 2008 All-CAC first team setter was named to the all-tournament team at the Battlefield Classic and the Sea Gull Classic. Marzocchi had a brilliant game for SU in its NCAA first round win over Richard Stockton when she recorded 29 assists and 18 digs.
The five all-region selections give Salisbury nine total honorees in the program's history.
Also see:
