LEXINGTON, Ky. - The American Volleyball Coaches Association announced the All-Region teams for the 2010 season and Southwestern University's juniors Christina Nicholls (pictured, left) and Lindsay Thompson (pictured, right) received the honor. This is the second consecutive selection for Nicholls and third consecutive selection for Thompson.

Nicholls leads the Pirates in assists this season with 1245, 9.50 per game. She is also fifth on the team in blocks with 38 and fourth in digs with 380, just under three per set. Nicholls was also an All-SCAC First Team selection.

Thompson is leading the team in kills with 337 on the season for 2.70 per set and blocks with 1.13 per set.  She is also tops in hitting percentage, putting away .280 percent of her kills. Thompson was also an All-SCAC selection this year.

The Pirates face Thomas More in the first round of the NCAA tournament today, Friday, at 11:30 CST. This is the sixth consecutive season that Southwestern has made the 63 team tournament field.

Thompson and Nicholls are two of only three SCAC players mentioned as first-team selections in the report.

South Region

Region Freshman of the Year: Mary Ashleigh Boles, Washington & Lee, OH

Honorable Mention: Mary Ashleigh Boles (Washington & Lee, OH, Fr.), Bailey Jensen (Christopher Newport, MB, So.), Kayla McCrury (Rhodes, DS/Lib., Sr.), Madison McMahon (Trinity, OH, So.), Madison Reyes (Hardin-Simmons, OH, So.), Amber Wetz (Texas-Dallas, OH, Sr.)