Complete Release (PDF)

ELLENSBURG (Feb. 2) -- All seven first-team all-Great Northwest Athletic Conference performers in the history of the Central Washington University volleyball program, including six who went on to achieve Division II All-American status from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), highlight the CWU all-decade volleyball team for 2000-09.

 

The team, selected by head coach Mario Andaya, has two players each at setter and right-side hitter, four middle blockers, three outside hitters and one defensive specialist/libero.

Libero Brandie Vea (Honolulu, Hawaii/Kalani HS) is the only current player on the 12-player squad. The two-time AVCA honorable mention All-American and two-time all-GNAC honoree, who will be a senior in 2010, has already established single-match, single-season, and career records for digs with one season remaining. She has also ranked among the top 10 nationally in digs each of the past two seasons, and with 1,411 career digs, is one of four all-decade team players with 1,000 or more digs between 2000 and 2009.

Other all-decade players to have earned AVCA Division II All-American honors included two-time All-American middle blocker LeAnne McGahuey, setter Kate Reome, outside hitter Crystal Ames, right-side hitter Kristin Pasley, and middle blocker Rachael Schurman. McGahuey, Reome, Ames, and Pasley were all starters on the 2004 squad, which Andaya deemed as the “team of the decade” at CWU. That squad, which won the first of back-to-back Great Northwest Athletic Conference championships, went 26-0 in the regular season and earned the program's first NCAA Division II tournament appearance. That team started a streak of three consecutive seasons in which the Wildcats advanced to the Division II tournament.

The other all-decade setter on the team besides the record-setting Reome (2001-04) was Lindsey Dollente, who started the 2005 and 2006 seasons after backing up Reome as a freshman and sophomore. Joining McGahuey (2002-05) and Schurman (2005-08) as middle blockers on the all-decade squad were Gita Burke (2000-03) and Cristina Null (2004-05). In addition to her All-American honors, McGahuey was named to the all-GNAC first team three times, while Schurman was twice named a first-team all-conference choice.

At outside hitter, Ames (2003-05) was joined by Carolyn Mires (1999-2002) and Julie Roberts (2000-03). Ames finished her career as the only player in school history with 1,000 or more kills and digs in a career, while Mires, who had a school-record 1,265 kills in her four-year career (including the 1999 season), had a higher kill-per-game average than any other player in the decade with 3.78 kills per game. Roberts was hampered by injury for most of her four-year career, but still totaled 657 kills and 444 digs in 201 career games.

The top server in school and GNAC history, Erin Norris (2006-09), joined Pasley (2003-06) on the all-decade team at right-side hitter. Norris finished her career with 198 aces including a school-record 70 as a junior.

Team of the Decade: 2004 (26-1 record, first-ever Division II regional appearance, Great Northwest Athletic Conference champions, undefeated regular season)

 

Setters:
Lindsey Dollente, 2003-06 (Yakima/West Valley HS)
Kate Reome, 2001-04 (Nine Mile Falls/Lakeside HS)

Middle Blockers:
Gita Burke, 2000-03 (Olympia/Black Hills HS)
LeAnne McGahuey, 2002-05 (Wenatchee)
Cristina Null, 2004-05 (Federal Way/Decatur HS)
Rachael Schurman, 2005-08 (Spokane/Mead HS)

Outside Hitters:
Crystal Ames, 2003-05 (Shoreline/Shorecrest HS)
Carolyn Mires, 1999-2002 (Walla Walla)
Julie Roberts, 2000-03 (Lynden)

Right-Side Hitters:
Erin Norris, 2006-09 (Spokane/Mead HS)
Kristin Pasley, 2003-06 (Kent/Kentlake HS)

Defensive Specialist/Libero:
Brandie Vea, 2007-present (Honolulu, Hawaii/Kalani HS)