News for Immediate Release                           
November 10, 2001    

Contact: Amber Cox, Director of Information
Phone:573/875-7419  Fax: 573/875-7429
E-mail: american_mw@yahoo.com

Columbia Cougars Claim Ninth Consecutive Conference Tournament Title

Columbia, Mo. – The Columbia Cougar women’s volleyball team scored its ninth consecutive AMC postseason tournament title today, defeating the Missouri Baptist College Spartans by scores of 30-15, 30-20 and 30-22. With the win, Columbia will receive the No. 1 seed and a bye in the NAIA Region V Tournament that is set to begin next week. As the runner-up in the AMC Tournament, the Spartans also receive an automatic berth to the regional playoffs. Two teams from the Heart of America Athletic Conference as well as two at-large teams will also advance to the six-team, single elimination tournament. The winner of the Region V tournament will receive an automatic berth to the NAIA National Tournament in West Palm Beach, Fla. on Nov. 28 – Dec. 1.

In a vote by league coaches, Cougar freshman middle hitter Kenny Moreno has been chosen as the AMC Player and Freshman of the Year. Moreno led the league in kills per game, averaging 4.19 per game during the regular season. In addition, the Medellin, Colombia native averaged 0.78 blocks and 0.71 service aces per contest. In her first season in the AMC, Moreno committed just 62 hitting errors in 533 attempts, converting 50 percent of her attempts into kills.               

The AMC Newcomer of the Year honor is bestowed upon the top transfer-student in the AMC. Olga Correa, a junior setter from Medellin, Columbia is the 2001 recipient of this award. Correa played in 76 games for the Cougars during the regular season, amassing 923 assists to lead the league. In addition, the 5-8 setter notched 109 kills, 46 service aces and 155 digs.

The AMC Coach of the Year is Melinda Wrye-Washington from Columbia College. The Cougar head coach amassed a 27-0 record in the 2001 regular-season. Her squad held the No. 1 position in the NAIA Top 25 Rating for seven consecutive weeks. In her two year stint at Columbia, Wrye-Washington holds a record of 73 wins and two losses.

A complete list of the 12-member AMC all-conference team, the honorable mention squad and the academic all-conference team, are listed on the following pages. Members of the academic all-conference team have earned at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale.

Most Valuable Player

Newcomer of the Year

Kenny Moreno (FR), Columbia College
Middle Hitter from Medellin, Colombia

Yesmina Moreno (JR), Columbia College
Outside Hitter from Medellin, Colombia

Freshman of the Year

Coach of the Year

Kenny Moreno, Columbia College
Middle Hitter from Medellin, Colombia

Melinda Wrye-Washington (2^nd), Columbia College
27-0 (Reg.-Season) / 12-0 (AMC Regular Season)

Player

School

Position

YR

Hometown

Olga Correa

Columbia College

Setter

JR

Medellin, Colombia

Kenny Moreno

Columbia College

Middle Hitter

FR

Medellin, Colombia

Yesmina Moreno

Columbia College

Outside Hitter

JR

Medellin, Colombia

Endrinha Sosa

Columbia College

Outside Hitter

JR

Merida, Venezuela

Breanna Schmitt

Hannibal-LaGrange College

Outside Hitter

SR

Quincy, Illinois

Julie Brinker

Missouri Baptist College

Middle/Outside Hitter

JR

Washington, MO

Meleisha Purcell

Missouri Baptist College

Middle Hitter

JR

Pago Pago, Samoa

Brandi Schroeder

Missouri Baptist College

Outside/Middle Hitter/Setter

JR

Pacific, MO

Sherri Eaton

McKendree College

Middle Hitter

SR

Steeleville, IL

Leslie Walker

McKendree College

Outside Hitter

SR

Cahokia, IL

Jennifer Curry

William Woods University

Outside Hitter

SR

Norman, OK

Alicia Hutchison

William Woods University

Outside Hitter

SR

North Bay, Ontario

Player

School

Position

YR

Hometown

Joni Hartman

Hannibal-LaGrange College

Setter

FR

Marshfield, MO

Sara Verdeyen

Hannibal-LaGrange College

Outside Hitter

FR

Nedga, IL

Leah Duke

Harris-Stowe State College

Middle Hitter

JR

St. Louis, MO

Marsha Poettler

Harris-Stowe State College

Setter/Outside Hitter

FR

Lebanon, IL

Liz Hughes

Missouri Baptist College

Outside Hitter

SR

Chicago, IL

Ashlee Daniels

William Woods University

Outside Hitter

FR

League City, TX

Heather Roberts

William Woods University

Setter

FR

Koloa, HI

Angie Beck

Williams Baptist College

Outside Hitter

SR

Piggott, AR

Nikki Morgan

Williams Baptist College

Outside Hitter

SR

Piggott, AR

Columbia College
Crystal Abel, Olga Correa, Jaime Diestelkamp, Annie Farris, Tracy Ford, Yesmina Moreno, Katie Skibiski, Trisha Weisenborn

Hannibal-LaGrange College
Abigail Carroll, Sarah Dorsey, Amanda Hunter, Renee Mayer, Beth Rudnick, Breanna Schmitt

McKendree College
Krysten Camden, Angie Durham, Sherri Eaton, Erin Fahey, Melanie Hemker, Ashley Herzing, Jennifer Lerch, Susan Mueller, Jessica Shields, Jessica Waldron

Missouri Baptist College
Brandy Lee Campbell, Elizabeth Mary Hughes, Anne Margaret Rauhut, Teresa Rinne

William Woods University

Williams Baptist College
Angie Beck, Susan Griffith, Amanda Johnson, Nikki Morgan, Bekah Taylor