Northern Athletics Conference Announces Postseason Volleyball Awards

AURORA, Ill. November 2, 2006 - Aurora University’s women’s volleyball team rolled through the Northern Athletics Conference (NAC) regular season with an undefeated 11-0 record. With AU’s fine play on the court, postseason awards were sure to follow. Senior outside hitter Sarah Campbell (Lake Villa, IL/Grayslake H.S.) was selected as the NAC Volleyball Player of the Year with Head Coach Jerry Angle being selected as the NAC Volleyball Conference Coach of the Year.

Additionally, the Spartans placed two players on the inaugural NAC All-Conference team, one on the Honorable Mention All-Conference team and had one NAC All-Rookie team selection.

Campbell had a stellar season, leading the Spartans to the NAC Championship, AU’s first conference championship in 10 years (last coming in 1996 in the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference). She led the NAC in kills (4.45/conference game), was fifth in hitting percentage (.306) and ninth in digs (4.88/conference game). She was one of two Spartan’s named to the NAC All-Conference team.

Joining Campbell as a NAC All-Conference selection was senior outside hitters Lindsey Gruber (Antioch, IL/Antioch H.S.). In conference action, Gruber averaged 3.64 kills and 4.74 digs per game with a .193 kill percentage.

Sophomore middle hitter Andrea Buss (Oswego, IL/Oswego H.S.) joined the postseason honors list, being selected as NAC Honorable Mention All-Conference selection. Buss averaged 1.36 kills and 1.62 blocks per game in NAC action

Freshman outside hitter Jill Smart (Round Lake Beach, IL/Grayslake H.S.) was selected to the NAC All-Rookie team. In her first collegiate season, Smart averaged 1.72 kills per game with a .272 kill percentage in NAC play.

AU Head Coach Jerry Angle was named the NAC Volleyball Coach of the Year as selected by his peers. The award is Angle’s third of his career and second consecutive; He won the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference Volleyball Coach of the Year award in 2005 and 2001. Angle, in his final season at the helm of the Spartans, led the AU women to a 19-13 overall record and 11-0 in the NAC. AU is the top seed in the upcoming Northern Athletics Conference Volleyball Tournament which AU will host on Friday, November 3 and Saturday, November 4, 2006. AU will play Concordia University, WI on Friday at 5:00 p.m. in Thornton Gymnasium.