November 2, 2005 
Contact: Cory Blackson, Sports Information Director

USA South Volleyball Awards Announced

(FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.) - The USA South Athletic Conference has announced its All-Conference awards volleyball.  A total of 20 student-athletes have been named to the USA South All-Conference teams for volleyball.  Greensboro's Katie Smith has been named the Player of the Year.  Liz Bush of Christopher Newport is the Rookie of the Year and her teammate, Jenna Williams is the Libero of the Year.  Christopher Newport head coach Lindsay Sheppard is the Coach of the Year.  The awards are voted on by the volleyball coach at each institution.

Smith, a senior from Colfax, N.C., led the conference in kills and blocks.  This season she recorded 4.6 kills, .51 digs and 1.4 blocks per game.  She led The Pride to a tie for first place in the regular season with Christopher Newport  This is her fourth consecutive year being named to the First Team All-Conference.  She was also named Player of the Year in 2004 and the Rookie of the Year in 2002.

Bush, a Springfield, Va. freshman, played an integral role in the Captains capturing a regular season co-championship.  She averaged 2.58 kills, .82 blocks and .24 digs on the year.  She was seventh in the USA South in in hitting percentage with a .281 hitting percentage. 

Williams, a Manassas, Va. junior was the Captains' defensive specialists.  She was second in the USA South in digs with an average of 4.14 digs a game.  She was also named to the Second Team All-Conference this year.

This is Sheppard's second Coach of the Year honor.  This season she led her team to a 29-5 record, including 13-1 in USA South play.  The Captains finished the regular season tied with Greensboro for first place.  In her third-year at the helm of the team, the Captains enters the semifinals of the Conference tournament as the second seed. 

Player of the Year                                                                
Katie Smith - Greensboro                                                              

Rookie of the Year                                                                 
Liz Bush - Christopher Newport

Libero of the Year
Jenna Williams - Christopher Newport                                                             

Coach of the Year                                                                  
Lindsay Sheppard - Christopher Newport                                                            

The 2005 USA South Volleyball All-Conference Teams follow:

First Team	Second Team	Honorable Mention
Amber Bradshaw - Christopher Newport Brittany Collins - Christopher Newport Sarah Davis - Greensboro Courtney Peters - Averett Katie Smith - Greensboro Lauren Smith - Greensboro	Liz Bush - Christopher Newport Kasey Carpenter - Averett Jennifer Ellis - Methodist Lindsey Kabbes - Peace Jenna Williams - Christopher Newport Amy Zecher - Averett	Mindy Altice- Ferrum Erin Bradshaw - Christopher Newport Erin Bryant - N.C. Wesleyan Michelle Chandler - Shenandoah Keshia Judd - Greensboro Ellen Koch - Christopher Newport Tiffany Sparks - Greensboro Lauren Wells - Averett