Slate earns LSC MVP honors

ACU junior first Wildcat to earn league's top honor

RICHARDSON -- ACU junior middle blocker Amanda Slate, whose defensive prowess wasa major force for the Wildcats during a historic 2004 season, was on Monday named the Lone Star Conference South Division Most Valuable Player, the first Wildcat to ever earn that distinction.

Slate -- who led the Wildcats with a .324 hitting percentage -- was one of seven Wildcats named to the all-LSC South Division team.  Slate was joined on the first team by junior outside hitter Micheller Bernhardt and junior setter Lindsey Martin, while senior middle blocker Sophia Kindred, senior libero Kellen Morrow, junior rightside hitter Ashlee Motola and freshman outside hitter Abbie Lowry were each named to the honorable mention team.

Slate -- whose power, 6-0 frame and intimidating presence in the middle were major reasons for the Wildcats' success -- led ACU to several firsts this year:  first LSC South Division title, first LSC volleyball championship and first NCAA Division II regional tournament berth.  She finished the regular season with 406 kills (second on team) and 115 total blocks (first on team).

She was second in the LSC in hitting percentage, and her 58 service aces with a powerful jump serve led the team and were third in the LSC.  Her 115 total blocks this season give her 323 career blocks, which is eighth on ACU's all-time list.

Bernhardt had another spectacular regular season, racking up 525 kills to move into the top spot on ACU's all-time kills list with 1,571 and one year of eligibility left.  She earned three LSC South Division Hitter of the Week honors on her way to earning first team all-LSC South Division honors for the second straight season.  She led the LSC in kills per game (4.45), and her kills total was the second-best total in the league.

Martin has dished out 1,579 assists this season going into this weekend's regional tournament, giving her 4,158 for her career, which is good for second on ACU's all-time list.  She was named the LSC South Division Setter of the Week five times this year, and she led the LSC and is in the top in NCAA Division II volleyball in assists per game at 13.50.

Motola was third on the team with 290 kills and a .273 hitting percentage, while Kindred was fourth with 219 kills, a .274 hitting percentage and 101 total blocks.  Morrow -- a two-time selection as the LSC South Division Defensive Player of the Week in 2004 -- ranked in the top 10in the LSC in both kills (490) and kills per game (4.22).  Lowry finished the regular season with 209 kills and 40 digs, but did most of her damage in the conference when she had 88 kills in nine matches.

Last week, Bernhardt and Morrow were each named first team academic all-District VI by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), while Martin was a second team pick.