OUA NAMES WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL ALL-STARS
HAMILTON, Ont. – With the Ontario University Atletics (OUA) women's volleyball playoffs set to begin Friday February 16, the league is pleased to announce the 2006-2007 all-stars and major award winners as selected by the coaches.
For the second consecutive year the East regular season champion Toronto Varsity Blues (17-2) boast Anastasia Danilova (St. Petersburg, Russia) and Mila Miguel (Victoria, British Columbia) to the first-team all-stars. Danilova a fourth year right side setter makes her third consecutive appearance on the OUA first team after demonstrating her dominant all around game, finishing sixth in the OUA in kill percentage (.305) and service aces (25) while compiling 400 assists for her team. Miguel finished the season seventh in the OUA in points per game with 3.87, and also had a 3.44 digs per game average for the Varsity Blues.
The Ottawa Gee-Gees (13-6)who finished third in the East, have an encore of first-team all-stars from the 2005-2006 season. Christine Lamey (Kanata, Ontario) has proven to be one of the league's top players as she racked up 270 kills this season, and is first in the OUA and second in the CIS in points per game with 4.78. Joining Lamey on the first-team is Laura Simons who has been instrumental in the Gee-Gees offence, tallying a league high 10.19 assists per game. York Lions (14-5) Elizabeth Salas (Toronto, Ontario) has had a standout year, as she ranks fifth in the OUA in kills (217) and points per game (4.02). To round out the first-team is Queen's Golden Gael's (8-11)veteran Amanda Digel (Ottawa, Ontario) who sits just behind Salas in points per game with 4.01. York Lion's (14-5) Antonia Stathakos (Brampton, Ontario) has taken the first team libero award, after showcasing her defensive talents for the second place Lions.
Queen's also took another East award as first-year standout Louise Hamill (North Vancouver, British Columbia) has been named the OUA Rookie of the Year. In just her first year in the league, Hamill made an immediate impact sitting second in team scoring (212 pts) and second in digs with 203 for the Golden Gaels. Mila Miguel takes her second award of the 2006-2007 season, and has been honoured with the Award of Merit as she has demonstrated an outstanding dedication and commitment to OUA volleyball.
For the second time in his 17 year coaching tenure Ottawa Gee-Gees head coach Lionel Woods has been named the OUA East Coach of the Year. Under his stewardship Ottawa has posted a 144-91 regular season mark (.613 winning percentage) and has qualified for the post-season in each of the past five years. This also marks the fourth consecutive season that Coach Woods has guided his troop to a 20-win season in CIS competition (tournament and regular season play).
In the West, the division champion Western Mustangs (18-1) feature two members on the first-team all stars. Melissa Mann (London, Ontario) is no stranger to the first-team as she received her first nod in 2005-2006. Mann is joined by teammate Julia Hall (Lindsay, Ontario) who finished the season in ninth place in the league averaging 3.47 points per game. Joining the Mustangs are two Laurier Golden Hawks (10-9) in Kaitlin Sauder (St. Jacobs, Ontario) and Danielle Walker (Oakville, Ontario). Walker finished first in the OUA and third in the CIS in kills per game (3.98), while teammate Sauder finished just back in third place with 3.71, while making a lethal one-two punch for the Golden Hawks offense. 2005-2006 Rookie of the Year Jen Holt (Hamilton, Ontario) of the McMaster Marauders (15-4) makes her debut on the first-team all-stars, accompanied by Waterloo Warrior (11-8) Gaby Lesniak (Hamilton, Ontario) who finished the season tenth in the OUA in points per game (3.31) to round out the all-stars. Western's Andrea Ruste (Edmonton, Alberta) has been awarded the first-team libero award as she lead the OUA in digs with 396, in a true display of her outstanding defensive talent.
For the second year in a row the McMaster Marauders have taken the OUA Rookie of the Year award. Sarah Kiernan (Hamilton, Ontario) who made an immediate impact on a successful Marauders team finishing third in team scoring on the year has taken home the honours in 2007. Jenny Hui from the Western Mustangs has been awarded the West Award of Merit for her leadership and contribution to the university and community.
Dean Lowrie has been awarded the OUA West Coach of the Year honours. Lowrie, who's Mustangs lost their season opener to fellow East Coach of the Year, has since gone on to guide his Western women's team to 18 straight victories to finish the season first in the OUA West with an 18-1 record.
EAST DIVISION
FIRST TEAM
Anastasia Danilova- Toronto
Christine Lamey- Ottawa
Elizabeth Salas- York
Laura Simons- Ottawa
Amanda Digel- Queen's
Mila Miguel- Toronto
FIRST TEAM LIBERO
Antonia Stathakos- York
SECOND TEAM
Nicole Carleton-Burnham- York
Caley Venn- Toronto
Heather Bansley- Toronto
Nadia Reider- York
Kirsten Brouse- Ottawa
Jennifer Williams- Ryerson
SECOND TEAM LIBERO
Michelle Wood- Toronto
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Louise Hamill- Queen's
COACH OF THE YEAR
Lionel Woods- Ottawa
AWARD OF MERIT
Mila Miguel- Toronto
WEST DIVISION
FIRST TEAM
Julia Hall- Western
Jenn Holt- McMaster
Kaitlin Sauder- Lauier
Danielle Walker- Laurier
Gaby Lesniak- Waterloo
Melissa Mann- Western
FIRST TEAM LIBERO
Andrea Ruste- Western
SECOND TEAM
Carly Welch- McMaster
Andrea Ruste- Western
Sarah Masterton-McMaster
Andrea Eansor- Windsor
Bojana Josipovic-Waterloo
Shauna Peddle- Brock
SECOND TEAM LIBERO
Melissa St.Amant- Laurier
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Sarah Kiernan- McMaster
COACH OF THE YEAR
Dean Lowrie- Western
AWARD OF MERIT
Jenny Hui- Western
ALL ROOKIE TEAM
Louise Hamill - Queens
Sarah Sutton - York
Karla Brayshaw - Lakehead
Sarah Kiernan - McMaster
Jenna Thomson - Western
Kristi Town - Laurier
- OUA -