Ducks Land Record Six Pac-10 All-Academic Honors

(WALNUT CREEK, Calif.) - The University of Oregon volleyball program continued to flex its might in the classroom and on the court as six players were honored to various Pacific-10 Conference All-Academic Teams Wednesday.

All six Duck honorees received their first distinctions, and sophomore outside hitters Katherine Fischer and Lauren Gross led the way with first- and second-team honors.

Four other Ducks – junior middle blocker Rhiannon Tooker, sophomore liberos Haley Jacob and Kellie Kawasaki, and outside hitter Jocelyn Levig – received honorable mention nods.

Two weeks ago, Fischer and Kawasaki were also accorded ESPN Academic First and Third-Team All-District honors, and Fischer is eligible for the national Academic All-America squad announced later this month.

Fischer, a pre-business administration major, was the only league honoree that sported a 4.00 cumulative grade point average, while Gross was close behind with a 3.80 gpa in psychology.

Wednesday’s honors raised UO's tally of Pac-10 league all-academic honors to 25 in six years under head coach Jim Moore after UO received at least three honors in 2008 (4), ‘07 (4), '06 (4) and '05 (5), and two in ‘09.

To be eligible, players must sport a 3.00 minimum grade point average, be a returnee, at least a sophomore academically, and be a starter or significant contributor.

Looking ahead to this weekend’s final regular season action, No. 23 Oregon (18-8, 6-8) welcomes No. 10 UCLA and No. 6 USC for 7 p.m. matches Friday and Saturday, November 19-20.

The final weekend of volleyball action at McArthur Court also marks the last home appearances for senior outside hitter Heather Meyers who will be honored before the Trojan match.

Duck volleyball alumni on-hand at the USC match will be also be recognized in the second-third set intermission, and any attending should email the reunion coordinator Peg Rees by Thursday morning (pegr@uoregon.edu).

2010 Pac-10 All-Academic Teams
First Team
Stephanie Browne, 3.93, JR, Stanford
Katherine Fischer, 4.00, SO, Oregon
Cat Highmark, 3.90, JR, Arizona State
Kaitlan Locke, 3.80, SR, OSU
Jill Sawatzky, 3.96, SR, OSU
Geena Urango, 3.74, sr, USC
Paige Weber, 3.884, SR, Arizona
Second Team
Lauren Gross, 3.80, SO, Oregon
Jenna Hagglund, 3.51, SR, Washington
Alix Klineman, 3.53, SR, Stanford
Cassidy Lichtman, 3.63, SR, Stanford
Carli Lloyd, 3.54, SR, Cal
Alyssa O’Neil, 3.87, SO, OSU
Robin Rostratter, 3.81, SO, Cal

Honorable Mention: Haley Jacob, 3.08, So., ORE; Kellie Kawasaki, 3.72, So., ORE; Jocelyn Levig, 3.53, So., ORE; Rhiannon Tooker, 3.59, Jr. , ORE; Gabi Ailes, 3.39, SR., STAN; Lauren Barfield, 3.01, Jr. , WASH; Kendall Bateman, 3.06, Jr. , USC; Hannah Benjamin, 3.35, So., STAN; Kat Brown, 3.10, So., Cal; Tami Brown, 3.02, So., OSU; Katie Camp, 3.20, Jr. , UCLA; Karissa Cook, 3.46, So., STAN; Kelcey Dunaway, 3.26, So., WASH; Marie Hole, 3.33, So., UCLA; Kelly Holford, 3.10, So., WASH; Faith Hutcherson, 3.10, SR., WSU; Sarah Johnson, 3.04, SR., Arizona State; Sonja Markanovich, 3.39, Jr. , ASU; Malia Marquardt, 3.35, Jr. , ASU; Megan McBride, 3.37, So., OSU; Dicey McGraw, 3.05, SR., UCLA; Kylin Muñoz, 3.06, So., WASH; Tarah Murrey, 3.13, Jr. , Cal; Jenna Orlandini, 3.13, RS-Fr., WASH; Sarah Reaves, 3.39, SR., Arizona State; Kiersten Sambrailo, 3.67, SR., OSU; Camille Saxton, 3.22, So., OSU; Meagan Schmitt, 3.12, SR., Cal; Bojana Todorovic, 3.70, So., UCLA.

ALL-TIME OREGON PAC-10 ALL-ACADEMIC HONOREES
2010 – Katherine Fischer (1st), Lauren Gross (2nd), Haley Jacob (HM), Kellie Kawasaki (HM), Jocelyn Levig (HM), Rhiannon Tooker (HM)
2009 - Nevena Djordjevic (2nd), Sonja Newcombe (HM)
2008 - Nevena Djordjevic (HM), Kristen Forristall (HM), Sonja Newcombe (HM), Katie Swoboda (HM)
2007 - Nevena Djordjevic (2nd), Sonja Newcombe (HM), Karen Waddington (HM), Kristen Forristall (HM)
2006 - Kristin Bitter (1st), Erin Little (1st), Heather Madison (HM), Karen Waddington (HM)
2005 - Kristin Bitter (1st), Erin Little (2nd), Stephanie Alleman (HM), Heather Madison (HM), Kelly Russell (HM)
2004 - Kristen Bitter (1st), Katie O’Neil (2nd), Kelly Russell (2nd), Lauren Westendorf (2nd), Erin Little (HM), Heather Madison (HM)
2003 - Katie O’Neil (2nd)
2002 - Lindsay Murphy (1st), Katie O’Neil (HM), Sydney Chute (HM), Heather Gilmore (HM)
2001 - Sydney Chute (2nd), Diana Blank (HM), Julie Gerlach (HM), Lindsay Murphy (HM), Monique Tobbagi (HM)
1999 - Carli Halligan (2nd), Annie Pogue (2nd)
1997 - Casey Crisler (1st), Alison Pepe (2nd)
1996 - Casey Crisler (1st)
1995 - Casey Crisler (1st)
1994 - Angee Henderson (2nd)
1993 - Nicolle Hedberg (2nd)
1990 - Molly McGrath (2nd)
1989 - Stephanie Snyder

Source: University of Oregon