Valparaiso senior Liz Mikos (Dundee, Ill./Jacobs) has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V First Team for her work on the volleyball court and inside the classroom.

Mikos is the first Crusader to be named to the First Team since Laura Kulans in 1996. By virtue of the commendation, Mikos is now a finalist for a spot on the Academic All-America team.

The senior middle blocker holds every Crusader single-season and career blocking record, and nearly every single-match mark. Her 131 blocks this season lead the team, and are the fifth highest block total in a single-season at Valpo. Mikos' 1.39 blocks per game average this season is second best in the Mid-Continent Conference and her 554 career blocks are the second highest total in league history.

A history major with a 3.85 cumulative GPA, Mikos has twice been named to the Mid-Con's All-Academic Team, and she is the only player from the conference to be named to an All-District Team this season.

Mikos and the Crusaders close out their regular season Mid-Con schedule with a pair of home matches this weekend. Friday night the Brown and Gold welcome Centenary to the ARC for a 7:00 p.m. first serve, and on Sunday afternoon the Crusaders will meet Oral Roberts at 2:00 p.m. to decide the conference championship. Friday night's match can be heard live on www.sportsjuice.com and Sunday's match will be broadcast on 95.1 FM, WVUR, and online at www.valpo.edu/athletics.