Dec. 4, 2008

St. Paul, Minn. - Seniors Danielle Alexander and Jamie Ashmore were honored as All-Americans by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) on Wednesday night (Dec. 3) in St. Paul, Minn. Alexander was named to the All-America First Team, while Ashmore earned a Second Team All-America citation.

The AVCA announced its All-America teams at the Division II Elite Eight banquet, as the #3 Lakers were in attendance one night before their quarterfinal match against Armstrong Atlantic State. Those teams will square off at 5:00 p.m. (Central Standard Time) on Thursday, Dec. 4 to advance to the Final Four.

For the second year in a row, Alexander was voted to the All-America team, as she was a second-team choice in 2007. The senior middle blocker is the eighth player in school history to be named as an AVCA First Team All-American and the first since Allyson Riley and Meghan Moore were both named first team members in 2006.

In the past month, Alexander has also been named the GLIAC Player of the Year and the Daktronics Midwest Regional Player of the Year, while being voted to the All-GLIAC and All-Midwest Region First Teams. After the Lakers captured the conference and regional championships, she was chosen on both all-tournament teams.

On Oct. 21, Alexander became the first player in GVSU history to be named the AVCA Division II National Player of the Week for her performance in the GLVC-GLIAC Crossover Tournament. She was also tabbed as the GLIAC North Division Player of the Week three times this season, making that six citations in her career.

In Grand Valley State career history, Alexander ranks first in block assists (380), third in total blocks (441), eighth in hitting percentage (.308), ninth in kills per game (3.41), and 10th in kills (1,146).

For Ashmore, it is the first All-America nomination of her career. The senior setter has also had a productive postseason, as she was named to the All-GLIAC First Team for the first time in her career, marking the third straight season she has been voted to the all-conference team. Ashmore earned All-GLIAC Second Team honors in both 2006 and 2007.

After the Lakers took home consecutive tournament trophies, Ashmore was named to the GLIAC and Midwest Region All-Tournament Teams. She was also tabbed as the GLIAC Tournament Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive season. Ashmore joined Alexander on the Daktronics All-Midwest Region Team, as she was a second-team selection.

Ashmore ranks in the top-10 in four categories in Laker career history. She is third in total assists (4,995), fifth in assists per game (10.07), and seventh in digs (1,148) and service aces (191).

This season marks the sixth time in school history - and the third straight year - that the Lakers have had a pair of AVCA All-Americans in the same season.