Nov. 20– The Concordia volleyball team was well represented on the 2007 AVCA All-North Central Region team, with Maggie McNamara, Mary Slinger, Maria Steinhagen and Emily Palkert earning first team honors and Whitney Meierotto being named honorable mention.  Palkert was also named the AVCA Region Freshman of the Year, marking the second straight year a Golden Bear has earned the honor (McNamara in 2006).

Sophomore Maggie McNamara (Zumbrota, MN) makes her second appearance on the all-region first team.  She currently leads the NCAA with 14.38 assistst per game and has 1912 assists on the season.  She was named first team all-NSIC and to the NCAA North Central Region and NSIC all-tournament teams.  McNamara had a season-high 75 assists against Wayne State (10-20).

Junior Maria Steinhagen (Alexandria, MN) was a first-team all-NSIC selection and leads the team in hitting percentage (.313). She is averaging 3.59 kills per game with 398 kills on the season.  She also is second on the team in blocks per game with 1.11.  Steinhagen had a season-high 20 kills agaist Northern State (11-2).

Sophomore Mary Slinger (Faribault, MN), the NSIC Libero of the Year, set new single-season records with 789 digs and 5.93 digs per game average.  She has topped 30-plus digs in five matches this season with a season and career-high 39 against MSU Moorhead (11-9).  She had 20-plus digs in 21 matches this season.  Slinger was also named to the NCAA North Central Region all-tournament team

Emily Palkert (Fr., Excelsior, MN) leads the team in kills (529), kills per game (3.98) and blocks with 168 (1.26 bpg).  She was named the NSIC Newcomer of the Year, first team all-NSIC and to the NCAA North Central Region all-tournament team.  She had a school-record 34 kills at Minnesota Duluth (10-30) and has started every game this season.  She has recorded ten-plus kills in 28 matches and 20-plus in six matches. 

Junior Whitney Meierotto (Washburn, WI) was named first team all-NSIC and leads the Bears with 23 double-doubles in kills and digs on the season.  She is second on the team in kills with 454 (3.49 kpg) and digs with 503 (3.87).  She also set the school single-season record with 71 service aces.  Meierotto was also named to the NCAA North Central Region all-tournament team.

The Bears are 33-4 on the year and will face California (PA) on Nov. 29 in the quarterfinals of the Elite Eight in Topeka, KS, hosted by Washburn University.

Complete List of All Regions - http://www.avca.org/collegiate/DIIawards/07DIIART.pdf

North Central Region
* - indicated number of years on the team

Vicky Braegelmann****	University of Minnesota Duluth	RS/Opp.	Sr.
Carlie Christensen***	University of Nebraska at Omaha	MB	Sr.
Erin Contons****	Southwest Minnesota St. Univ.	OH	Sr.
Katie Gangelhoff***	University of Minnesota Duluth	S	Jr.
Maggie McNamara**	Concordia University-St. Paul	S	So.
Ashley Nachreiner	Minnesota State University, Mankato	OH	Jr.
Emily Palkert	Concordia University-St. Paul	MB	Fr.
Emily Schroeder**	Wayne State College (Neb.)	MB	Sr.
Mary Slinger	Concordia University-St. Paul	DS/Lib.	So.
Maria Steinhagen	Concordia University-St. Paul	MB	Jr.
Kari Wolford**	University of Minnesota Duluth	OH	Sr.
Sarah Wyffels	University of Minnesota Duluth	MB	So.

 
Region Freshman of the Year:
Emily Palkert, Concordia-St. Paul, MB

Honorable Mention: Leah Ashburn (Southwest Minnesota State, MB, So.), Danielle Beckstrand (Minnesota Duluth, OH, Sr.), Amanda Beekman (Minnesota State, OH, Fr.), Kathleen Hruska (South Dakota, MB, Jr.), Whitney Meierotto (Concordia-St. Paul, OH, Jr.), Cayla Schroeder (Augustana [S.D.], OH, Jr.)