1999 Volleyball All-Conference Team
| News for Immediate Release November 6, 1999 Contact: Amber Cox, AMC Director of Information 573/ 441-8685 (Phone & Fax)Columbia College Takes First Step in Quest to Repeat as NAIA National Champs Columbia, Mo. – The #1 team in the country in NAIA women’s volleyball is one step closer to winning back-to-back NAIA National Championships. The Columbia College Cougars defeated McKendree College tonight, 15-2, 15-0, 15-3, to win the American Midwest Conference post-season tournament. With the win, Columbia won its 76th consecutive match, which ties the NAIA record set by St. John Fisher (NY) in 1979-80. In addition to the regular-season and post-season tournament championship awards, the Cougars snagged their fair share of the AMC’s individual accolades as well. In a vote by league coaches, Deng Yang, a setter for the Cougars, was chosen as the league’s Most Valuable Player. The 6-1 sophomore from Chang Zhoa, China racked up 801 assists during the regular-season, averaging 9.89 per game. In addition, Yang, who was the AMC’s Freshman of the Year in 1998, recorded 118 kills in only 210 attempts to go along with 175 digs, 16 service aces and 59 total blocks. Endrina Sosa, a 6-0 outside hitter for the Cougars, is the 1999 AMC Freshman of the Year. Sosa proved to be as much of a slugger as her namesake in Chicago, pounding down 195 kills. The Merida, Venezuela native was unshakeable defensively, recording only nine passing errors in 199 attempts. In addition, Sosa logged 28 service aces, 60 total blocks and 213 digs. The AMC Newcomer of the Year honor is bestowed upon the top transfer-student in the AMC. Amanda Dorries, a 5-11 middle hitter for the McKendree College Bearcats, is the 1999 recipient of this award. Dorries led the AMC in kills per game throughout the majority of the regular-season, averaging 3.67 kills per contest. In addition, Dorries proved to be one of the top blockers in the league in 1999, recording 146 total blocks for an average of 1.27 per game. The Breese, Ill. native was also second on her team in digs per game, totaling 383 in regular-season play. The AMC Coaches of the Year are Susan and Wayne Kreklow from Columbia College. The Kreklows led the Cougars to their sixth consecutive AMC regular-season crown in 1999, recording an overall record of 29-0 and an AMC regular-season record of 6-0. A complete list of the 12-member AMC All-Conference team, the Honorable Mention squad and the Academic All-Conference team, are listed below. Members of the Academic All-Conference team have earned at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. |
1999 AMC All-Conference Team
| Most Valuable Player | Newcomer of the Year | |
| Deng Yang (SO), Columbia
College Setter from Chang Zhoa, China |
Amanda Dorries (JR),
McKendree College Middle Hitter from Breese, IL |
|
| Freshman of the Year | Coach of the Year | |
| Endrina Sosa, Columbia
College Outside Hitter from Merida, Venezuela |
Wayne & Susan Kreklow
(6th yr.), Columbia College 29-0 (Reg.-Season) / 6-0 (AMC Reg.-Season) |
1st Team All-Conference
| Player | School | Pos. | YR | Hometown |
| Deng Yang | Columbia College | Setter | SO | Chang Zhoa, China |
| Mariuska Hamilton | Columbia College | Middle Hitter | SR | Edo Bolivar, Venezula |
| Endrina Sosa | Columbia College | Outside Hitter | FR | Merida, Venezuela |
| Quanna Speake | Columbia College | Outside Hitter | SR | West Plains, MO |
| Jennifer Boltz | Hannibal-LaGrange | Outside Hitter | SR | Decatur, IL |
| Jessica Evans | Missouri Baptist College | Setter | SR | St. Louis, MO |
| Julie Mueller | Missouri Bapitst College | Middle Hitter | SR | Valmeyer, IL |
| Amanda Dorries | McKendree College | Middle Hitter | JR | Breese, IL |
| Brooke Portz | McKendree College | Outside Hitter | SR | Marissa, IL |
| Janna Divila | Park College | Outside Hitter | SO | San Antonio, TX |
| Kim Tolleson | Park College | Middle Blocker | SR | Odessa, MO |
| Stephanie Sebacher | William Woods University | Middle Hitter | JR | Jonesburg, MO |
Honorable Mention All-Conference
| Player | School | Pos. | YR | Hometown |
| Kelly Bernard | Harris-Stowe State College | Setter/Outside Hitter | JR | Pacific, MO |
| Jennifer Freund | Missouri Baptist College | Middle Hitter | JR | Eureka, MO |
| Julie Brinker | Missouri Baptist College | Outside Hitter | FR | Washington, MO |
| Renee Baughman | McKendree College | Outside Hitter | JR | Noble, IL |
| Gina Heinen | McKendree College | Setter | JR | Belleville, IL |
| Erin Holt | Park College | Setter | JR | Bernie, MO |
| Betsy Cast | William Woods University | Outside Hitter | SR | Holden, MO |
| Michelle Henry | William Woods University | Setter | JR | Waldorf, MD |
1999 American Midwest
Conference
Academic All-Conference Team
| Columbia
College Quanna Speake, Allison Flieg, Deng Yang, Wang Juang Ping, Juliana Godoi Hannibal-LaGrange College McKendree College Missouri Baptist College Park College William Woods University |