HILLSDALE, Mich. - Concordia University put five players on the 2009 Daktronics Division II Volleyball All-American Teams, as voted on by the nation's sports information directors.  Maggie McNamara headlined this year's honorees with a repeat as the Ron Lenz National Player of the Year.  Joining Maggie on the First Team was Emily Palkert.  Sadie Kessler and Mary Slinger were named to the Second Team and Megan Carlson made the Third Team.

For the second consecutive season, Maggie McNamara (S, Sr., Zumbrota, Minn.) was voted the Daktronics Division II Volleball National Player of the Year.  This marks her third appearance on Daktronics' All-American First Team, capping a remarkable career for the Golden Bears.  She led her team to an undefeated regular season and became the NCAA's all-time leader in career assists, entering Elite Eight play with 7,217 assists.

With McNamara quarterbacking the team's efforts, the Golden Bears (35-0) won back-to-back NCAA titles in 2007 and 2008.  The team has been ranked #1 all season and heads into the national semifinal match tonight at 7:30, replaying the 2008 Championship bout with Cal State San Bernardino.  McNamara leads the nation for the fourth straight season in assists per set.

Emily Palkert (MB, Jr., Excelsior, Minn.) has been on the receiving end of many sets from McNamara during their highly successful careers.  Playing in a well-balanced offense, Palkert still averaged 3.61 kills per set and was named First Team All-Conference and First Team All-Region.  She has had 10 or more kills in 23 of the team's 35 matches and has a team-best 104 blocks.  She ranks second in school history in kills per set (3.73), third in hitting percentage (.324) and sixth in total kills (1,414).

All-America Second Team honoree Sadie Kessler (RS, Sr., St. Michael, Minn.) has had a great senior season, coming into the NCAA Elite Eight with 349 kills on the year (3.26/s) and a team high .393 hitting average, which ranks 10th in the NCAA.  She also has 244 digs (2.28/s) and 57 blocks (0.53/s).  Kessler has had no better stretch of play than in the Central Region Tournament, lighting up the offense with 4.00 kills per set, a single hitting error and a .574 hitting average.

Mary Slinger (Sr., Faribault, Minn.) is the libero for the All-America Second Team.  The three-time NSIC Libero of the Year has been a guiding force for the team's success this season.  She not only makes miraculous saves, but keeps the offense running in system with her targeted serve receive.  Slinger has averaged 4.83 digs per set on a team that rarely allows a long rally.  She has a season serve receive average of .962 and has made just 16 receiving errors leading up to the Elite Eight Tournament.

In her first season with the team, sophomore outside hitter Megan Carlson (Andover, Minn. / Marshall Univ.) has assured herself a spot on the All-America Third Team.  She has filled huge holes for the Golden Bears both offensively and defensively, serving as the second-leading hitter (379 kills) and defender (365 digs).  Entering the Elite Eight, Carlson had marked 18 double-doubles on the year.  She has also been an excellent primary passer for the Golden Bears, putting up a .968 serve receive average on the season.

2009 DAKTRONICS ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM
S Maggie McNamara Sr. Concordia-St. Paul Zumbrota, Minn.
OH Pamela Cartagena Sr. Pittsburg State Bayamon, Puerto Rico
OH Jane Chafeh Jr. Cal State San Bernardino Fontana, Calif.
OH Melissa Vanderhall Jr. University of Tampa Hempstead, NY
MH Emily Palkert Jr. Concordia-St. Paul Excelsior, Minn.
MH Stormi Gale Jr. Wingate University Richmond, Texas
L/DS Lauren Flynn Sr. Texas A&M-Commerce Deer Park, Texas

2009 DAKTRONICS ALL-AMERICA SECOND TEAM
S Renata da Silva Sr. California (Pa.) Sao Paulo, Brazil
OH Sadie Kessler Sr. Concordia-St. Paul St. Michael, Minn.
OH Joanna Nist Sr. California (Pa.) Rockwood, Pa.
OH Tatiana Kuhn Sr. Henderson State Esteio, Brazil
MH Jessica Howard Sr. Augusta State Athens, Ga.
MH Nikki Scott Sr. Nebraska-Kearney Broken Bow, Neb.
L/DS Mary Slinger Sr. Concordia-St. Paul Faribault, Minn.

2009 DAKTRONICS ALL-AMERICA THIRD TEAM
S Katie Rickwartz Sr. West Texas A&M Canyon, Texas
OH Arica Shepard Sr. Emporia State Rossville, Kan.
OH Megan Carlson So. Concordia-St. Paul Andover, Minn.
OH Mackenzie Snyder So. Chico State Placerville, Calif.
MH Melissa Harper Sr. West Texas A&M Peoria, Az.
MH Shawna Hines Jr. Abilene Christian Aurora, Col.
L/DS Bethany Wright Sr. Henderson State Georgetown, Texas

HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICANS: Calli Scott, Alaska-Anchorage; Roxanne Brunsting, UC-San Diego; Ludmila Amaral, California (Pa.); Fabiane Sebe, Hawaii-Hilo; Manuela Nesheva, Harding; Sara Malmlov, New Haven, Laura Prinsen, West Texas A&M.