Nov. 16, 2008

Bay City, Mich. - Grand Valley State senior middle blocker Danielle Alexander and Laker head coach Deanne Scanlon were honored by the GLIAC on Saturday night (Nov. 15) as the league's Player of the Year and Coach of the Year. In between the two GLIAC Semifinal matches at Fieldhouse Arena, the all-conference teams were announced, with five Lakers being named to the All-GLIAC team.

Alexander is the fifth GLIAC Player of the Year recipient in GVSU history and the first player to win the award since Sabrina Bird in 2003. Only four players have won the award in Laker history, as Lisa Cancelli won the award in 1985 and 1986. Alexander was also named to the All-GLIAC First Team for the second straight year. She leads GVSU with 378 kills, a .339 hitting percentage, and 133 total blocks. Alexander was named the GLIAC North Division Player of the Week three times this season, making that six player of the week awards during her career.

On Oct. 21, she became the first player in GVSU history to be named the AVCA Division II National Player of the Week. In her career, Alexander is first in Laker history with 365 block assists, fifth in total blocks (426), eighth in hitting percentage (.312), and 10th in kills (1,111).

Scanlon was named the GLIAC Coach of the Year for the third time during her career. She also won the award in 2001 and 2005. During Scanlon's tenure, the Lakers have won eight GLIAC North Division Championships and five GLIAC Tournament titles. GVSU has been ranked as high as #2 in the national polls this season and tied the school-record with a 22-match win streak. Grand Valley State currently owns a program-record 33-match home winning streak.

In her 14-year career at GVSU, Scanlon owns a winning percentage of .791 (383-101) and an .814 mark (206-47) in GLIAC play. The Lakers have won 25 matches for the 10th straight season and are one why shy of their sixth 30-win season with Scanlon at the helm. Grand Valley State has not won less than 20 matches since 1997.

Senior setter Jamie Ashmore was also named to the All-GLIAC First Team, which is the first such award of her career. Ashmore is a three-time all-conference selection, having been named to the second team each of the past two years. She controls a Laker offense that owns a .250 team hitting percentage, which leads the conference. Ashmore has racked up 1,124 assists this season and leads GVSU with 37 service aces. Defensively, she has added 252 digs and 48 total blocks. In her career, Ashmore is third all-time in assists (4,872) and is tied for fifth with 202 service aces.

Joining Alexander and Ashmore on the All-GLIAC First Team was sophomore middle blocker Rebeccah Rapin. It is the first such all-conference award for Rapin, who was the 2007 GLIAC and Great Lakes Region Freshman of the Year. She ranks second on the Lakers in kills (291), hitting percentage (.310), and total blocks (104). Her 21 block solos are the most on the team.

Senior outside hitter Lauren Reber was named to the All-GLIAC Second Team. This is her second all-conference award, as she was an honorable mention selection last season. Reber ranks second on the Lakers in digs (334), third in kills (269), and fourth in assists (47) and total blocks (49).

Earning her first all-conference award was junior Katey Crichton, who was named as an honorable mention All-GLIAC selection. Crichton is one of the more versatile Lakers, ranking third on the team in assists (53), fourth in service aces (23), sixth in digs (202), and seventh in kills (64) and total blocks (32).