Nov. 19, 2008

Four Wright State volleyball players earned postseason honors from the Horizon League as the conference announced its annual awards winners on Wednesday. Shaunda Sandifer and Lizzy Gunn were each named All-Horizon League while Michelle Hammond and Leilani Tafuna were selected to the All-Newcomer Team.

Sandifer (Calumet City, IL/Thornton Fractional North) came on strong for the Raiders this season after recording 49 kills and 44 blocks in limited action last season. The sophomore middle blocker is currently second in the Horizon League in overall hitting percentage at .291 and in blocks per set at 1.08. In league matches only, Sandifer ranks even higher as her .327 percentage leads the League and her 1.10 blocks are third.

Selected as the Horizon League Offensive Player of the Week on November 10 after hitting .387 with 17 kills at Dayton, Sandifer hit .300 or better nine times in league play and recorded four or more blocks in 11 league matches. She hit .571 with 13 kills against Butler, .500 with 17 kills at Cleveland State and .417 with 13 kills versus Youngstown State.

Gunn (Franklin, IN/Franklin) put together a solid senior campaign as the middle blocker ranks seventh in the league overall in hitting percentage at .272 and is fourth in blocks per set at 1.00. In league matches only, she is second to Sandifer in hitting percentage at .308 and seventh in blocks at 1.00.

Chosen to the Raider Challenge All-Tournament Team back in September, Gunn hit .300 or better in eight league matches, including .500 with 13 kills against Loyola, .371 with 17 kills versus Green Bay and .375 with 15 kills against Youngstown State. She also recorded seven blocks at UIC and against Butler and five versus Youngstown State and Loyola.

After tallying just 98 assists through the first 11 matches, Hammond (Worthington, OH/Kilbourne) took over as WSU's primary setter from there, dishing out 787 assists over the final 19 matches of the regular season. As a result, while she is sixth in the league in assists per set overall at 8.51, the junior's numbers are even better in league play as she is third at 9.95.

Hammond posted 50 or more assists in a match five times, including a season-high 58 last weekend at Butler. She also recorded four kills at Youngstown State, had four blocks at Valparaiso, three blocks in three other league matches and reached double figures in digs on 10 occasions, with all but one of those coming in league play.

Tafuna (Laie, HI/Kahuku) ranks seventh in the Horizon League in digs both overall (3.87) and in league (4.10) matches. The freshman libero has reached double figures in digs in each of the last 23 matches, including 32 at Robert Morris, 26 against Cleveland State and 20 at Butler.

Hammond and Tafuna are the first Raiders selected to the All-Newcomer Team since Gunn was named to the squad in 2005. It is also the first time that Wright State has had two players on the All-Newcomer Team since Karis Day and Mandy Gels were selected in 1999.

The four honorees are the most ever for Wright State in a season since the Raiders began conference play in 1990.

Wright State (16-16 overall, 10-6 Horizon) opens Horizon League Tournament play Friday night at 7:30 as the #3 seed Raiders take on #6 seed and host Cleveland State at the Woodling Gymnasium on the CSU campus. The tournament continues through Sunday, November 23, with an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on the line.

The 2008 All-Horizon League Volleyball Teams:

2008 ALL-HORIZON LEAGUE
Angie Porche, Jr., OH, Valparaiso
Becky Peters, Sr., OH, Milwaukee
Brittany Malicoat, Sr., L, Valparaiso
Shaunda Sandifer, So., MB, Wright State
Porshia Allen, Jr., OH, Butler
Maddie Sueppel, So., MB, Milwaukee
Sarah Singer, Sr., OH, Loyola
Amy Benz, So., MH, Cleveland State
Kim Bukowski, Jr., S, Valparaiso
Jessica Wolfe, So., OH, Butler
Lizzy Gunn, Sr., MB, Wright State
Lauren Felsing, Jr., L, Milwaukee
Megan Elfering, Sr., L, Green Bay
Allison Sears, Sr., MH, Valparaiso

2008 ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM
Kelsey Labrum, So., OH, Butler
Jordan Goad, Fr., S, Cleveland State
Kerri Schuh, Fr., OH, Milwaukee
Michelle Hammond, Jr., S, Wright State
Melissa Joyce, Fr., S, Green Bay
Samantha Trawitzke, Fr., S, Milwaukee
Leilani Tafuna, Fr., L, Wright State

HORIZON LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Angie Porche, Jr., OH, Valparaiso

HORIZON LEAGUE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Brittany Malicoat, Sr., L, Valparaiso

HORIZON LEAGUE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Kelsey Labrum, So., OH, Butler

HORIZON LEAGUE COACH OF THE YEAR
Susie Johnson, Milwaukee