Monday, December 15, 2008

Senior libero Brittany Malicoat (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial), junior outside hitter Angie Porché (Lynwood, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) and senior middle hitter Allison Sears (Elkhart, Ind./Memorial) have all been named to the 11-player Horizon League volleyball Academic All-League team.

Malicoat, who was named to the AVCA All-Midwest Region team last week, closed out her career with the Crusaders with a school-record 2,306 digs, among the top-20 in the category in NCAA history.  The two-time Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year finished 13th in the nation and second in the league this year with an average of 5.22 digs/set.

In the classroom, Malicoat holds a 3.58 GPA as an art history and public relations major, with a social work minor.  She was named U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athlete of the Week on Sept. 30, and was a member of the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll both semesters last year.

Porché was named the Horizon League Player of the Year this year after leading the league and placing seventh nationally with 4.61 kills/set.  The two-time AVCA All-Midwest Region honoree broke Crusader career records for both kills and attacks midway through her junior year, and helped lead Valpo’s offense to the top spot in the nation in kills/set.

In the classroom, Porché holds a 3.67 GPA as a psychology major with a social work minor.  Earlier this year, she was named First Team CoSIDA Academic All-District V for her efforts in the classroom, and was a member of the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll both semesters last year.

Sears was named to the Horizon League All-League squad after a senior year in which she finished third in the league in kills/set (3.32) and second in the league in points/set (3.98).  The two-time league Offensive Player of the Week closed her career in a Crusader uniform among the top-10 in Valpo history in both hitting percentage and blocks.

In the classroom, Sears holds a 3.88 GPA as an elementary education major.  She was named U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athlete of the Week on Nov. 7, and was a member of the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll both semesters last year.