Three MWC Volleyball Players Earn All-America Honors

CSU’s Vagneur Joins BYU’s Puikkonen and Smith on AVCA Second Team

BYU's Nina Puikkonen, a second-team All-American was third in the nation in blocks this season.
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Dec. 16, 1999

Colorado Springs, Colo. ­ Three Mountain West Conference volleyball players are among those selected to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America team announced Dec. 14.

Colorado State senior outside hitter Catie Vagneur became the first CSU player since 1987 to earn AVCA All-America status. Vagneur was named to the second team after helping the Rams advance to the NCAA Regional Semifinals and post a 30-3 overall record ­ the most wins in program history. CSU finished second in the league standings, and claimed the first-ever conference tournament title. Named to the Mountain West Conference First Team, Vagneur was also chosen MVP of the conference championship and selected to the AVCA All-District VII team. She recorded 20-plus kills five times during the season. Vagneur took more swings (4,095) than anyone in CSU volleyball history and finished her collegiate career third on the Rams¹ all-time list with 1,550 career kills, sixth in digs (1,047) and ninth in service aces (105). Vagneur is just the fourth CSU player in history to achieve All-America honors and the fifth Ram selection.

BYU sophomore middle blocker Nina Puikkonen also claimed her first AVCA All-America selection. Puikkonen was chosen to the second team after helping the Cougars reach the NCAA Regional Semifinals for the fourth straight year. BYU registered a 28-5 record, claimed the inaugural Mountain West Conference regular-season title and finished as runner-up at the conference championship tournament. Named the MWC Player of the Year, to the AVCA All-District VII team, and to the MWC all-tournament team, Puikkonen led the league in hitting percentage (.373) as well as blocks (1.85) and kills (4.29) per game. Her blocking average ranks third in the nation. She tallied double-figure kills in 30 of BYU’s 33 matches this season, including three with 20-plus kills. She collected double figures in blocks five times during the year. Puikkonen already stands fifth on the BYU all-time chart with 434 career blocks after just two seasons.

Repeating second team All-America honors is BYU senior setter Anna-Lena Smith. Also named to the Mountain West Conference First Team and the AVCA District VII squad, Smith was a four-time all-conference selection. She set the Cougars to a .295 team hitting percentage, which ranks sixth in the nation and led the conference. She averaged 12.95 assists per game for 1,425 assists during the season. Smith finished her BYU career as the Cougars’ all-time record holder with 5,936 career assists.

The official AVCA release follows, including a complete list of All-Americans, and will be posted on the AVCA website at www.avca.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 14, 1999
CONTACT: Robert Lee, Membership and Communications Assistant

AVCA ALL-AMERICA TEAMS ANNOUNCED FOR DIVISION I

Honolulu, Hi - The American Volleyball Coaches Association will present the 19th annual All-America awards Friday at the AVCA All-America/Player of the Year banquet at the Hawaiian Regent. The selection are made by the AVCA Division I All-America Committee: Katie Weismiller, Indiana, Bonnie Kenny, Massachusetts, Sharon Dingman, Butler, Janice Kruger, Maryland, Beth Launiere, Utah, Jeff Nelson, Texas Tech, Chris Poole, Arkansas, Patti Snyder-Park, Arizona State, Julie Morgan, Illinois State.

1999 AVCA Division I First-Team All-America
Erin Aldrich, Texas, MB, Sr., 6-2, Dallas, Tex.
Heather Bown ^, Hawai'i, MB, Sr., 6-3, Yorba Linda, Calif.
Bonnie Bremner ^#*, Penn State, S, Sr., 5-9, Lisle, Ill.
Lauren Cacciamani ^$, Penn State, MB, Sr., 6-2, Paramus, N.J.
Roberta Gehlke +$, UC Santa Barbara, OH, Sr., 5-10, Hntgtn Beach, Calif.
Nancy Meendering ^, Nebraska, OPP, Jr., 6-1, Hull, Iowa
Elsa Stegemann ^, Pacific, OH, Sr., 5-10, Santa Cruz, Calif.
Logan Tom, Stanford, OH, Fr., 6-1, Salt Lake City, Utah
Kerri Walsh ^#%, Stanford, OPP, Sr., 6-2, Saratoga, Calif.
Cheryl Weaver, Long Beach State, MB, So., 6-2, Washington, D.C.
Petia Yanchulova ^, San Diego, OH, Sr., 5-10, Sofia, Bulgaria

1999 AVCA Division I Second-Team All-America
Nicole Branagh, Minnesota, OH, Jr., 6-1, Orinda, Calif.
Dawn Cady, Kansas State, OH, Sr., 5-10, Marshall, Minn.
Jenny Maastricht, Wisconsin, OPP, Jr., 6-1, Silver Lake, Wis.
Jenny Manz ^, Florida, OPP, Sr., 6-0, Orange Park, Fla.
Sarah McFarland, Loyola Marymount, OH, Jr., 6-6, Mich. City, Ind.
Shannon Perry, Northern Iowa, S, Jr., 5-8, Overland Park, Kan.
Kristee Porter, UCLA, OH, So., 5-11, Tyler, Tex.
Nina Puikkonen, BYU, MB, So., 6-3, Murray, Utah
Anna-Lena Smith +, BYU, S, Sr., 5-11, Mesa, Ariz.
Cindy Stern, Clemson, MB, Sr., 6-3, Cincinnati, Ohio
Catie Vagneur, Colorado State, OH, Sr., 5-9, Aspen, Colo.

^ Indicates 1998 AVCA First-Team All-America selection
+ Indicates 1998 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection
# Indicates 1997 AVCA First-Team All-America selection
$ Indicates 1997 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection
%Indicates 1996 AVCA First-Team All-America selection
* Indicates 1996 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection