LEXINGTON, Ky. - The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) is proud to announce the 31st annual AVCA All-America teams for NCAA Division III women's volleyball. Christina Nicholls, a senior setter from Austin, Texas, was selected as First Team All-America and is the first Pirate to receive the honor since SU became an NCAA Division III institution.

Nicholls ended the year ranked 16th in the nation in assists per set, averaging 10.64, less than one assist behind national leader Ashley Maher of St. Thomas (MN). She was the leader on the court for the Pirates this season while statistically leading in assists, was second in service aces and fifth in blocks.

Her sensational senior season was evidenced by the numerous awards accumulated throughout the year. Nicholls was named D3VB Player-of-the-Week on November 2nd, SCAC Player-of-the-Year, All-SCAC First Team, and AVCA All-South Region First Team.

Nicholls has been an Honorable Mention selection the past two seasons.

This is Thibodeau's first All-America selection and earned the spot with her increased role and performance in the second half of the season. She served as the main attacking threat for the Pirates and go-to hitter when SU needed a big kill. Thibodeau is a large reason Southwestern ended the year 18th in the nation in kills per set (13.06). She averaged three kills per set, 8th in the SCAC, and led Southwestern in kills with 351 on the season. Thibodeau was a strong all-around player for SU as she was third on the team in assists (24), first in aces (31) and second in digs (461).

The awards will be presented Nov. 17, 2011, at the NCAA Division III Women's National Championship banquet in St. Louis, Mo., where the 2011 Division III AVCA Player of the Year will be announced.  The NCAA Division III national quarterfinals begin Nov. 18.

Southwestern has had six players named to the NAIA/AVCA First Team All-America; Jeanne Bulle (1981), Alfie Vela (1981, 1982), Debbie Williamson (1984), Tela Lindsey (1986), Sheri Roberts (1987, 1988), Becky Wilson (1989).

The 2011 All-America selections were made by the AVCA Division III All-America Committee: Harleigh Chwastyk, Swarthmore, chairperson; Gina Chambers, Nebraska Wesleyan; Gregory Poole, Western Connecticut; Patti Ford, UW-River Falls; Hannah Long, Southwestern, Amber Warners, Calvin; Cal Wickens, Nazareth and Valerie Cowan, Pomona-Pitzer.

2011 AVCA DIVISION III FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICA

2011 AVCA DIVISION III SECOND-TEAM ALL-AMERICA

2011 AVCA DIVISION III THIRD-TEAM ALL-AMERICA    

! indicates 2010 AVCA First-Team All-America selection

% indicates 2010 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection

^ indicates 2010 AVCA Third-Team All-America selection

* indicates 2009 AVCA First-Team All-America selection

# indicates 2009 AVCA Second-Team All-American selection

& indicates 2009 AVCA Third-Team All-American selection 

$ indicates 2008 AVCA First-Team All-America selection

@ indicates 2008 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection 

2011 Division III AVCA Freshman of the Year: Kelly Foley, St. Thomas, MB

2011 Division III AVCA Player of the Year: Announced Nov. 17, 2011

2011 AVCA DIVISION III HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICA

Kelly Foley-University of St. Thomas (MB, Fr.) - FOY
Meghan Byrne-Washington Univ.-St. Louis (OH, So.) 
Chelsea Koth-Northwestern College (OH Sr.) 
Kathleen O'Connor-Cornell University (OH So.)
Amy Sykora-Concordia College (S Sr.)
Anna Zyvoloski-St. Scholastica (OH Jr.)
Marion Bevington-Heidelberg University (MB Jr.) 
Greer Bratschie- Hope College (S Jr.)
Jenna Grasmeyer-Hope College (OH Fr.)
Ally Nagel Otterbein University (MB Jr.)
Julie Radigan-University of Mount Union (S Sr.)
Jackie Reinhart-Heidelberg College (OH Sr.)
Lindsey Russell-Otterbein University (DS/Lib. Sr.)
Erin Vander Plas-Calvin College (OH Sr.)
Kearby Benak-Eastern University (OH So.)
Melissa Cole Johns Hopkins University (OH Sr.)
Meagan Donohue-Johns Hopkins University (RS/Opp. Fr.)
Jessica Gieselman-Stevenson University (S So.)
Chelsea Glowacki-Salisbury University (MB Sr.)
Julie Harvey Franklin & Marshall College (MB Fr.)
Jamie Hawk-Lebanon Valley College (MB Sr.)
Jesse Krasley-Moravian College (DS/Lib. Jr.)
Samantha Savite-Moravian College (RS/Opp. Jr.)
Liz Amici Univ. of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (MB Sr.)
Caroline Brander-University of Chicago (MB, Jr.)
Christina Brinkman-Univ. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (OH Jr.)
Brittany Cardott-Millikin University (S Jr.)
Torey DeLozier-Maranatha Baptist Bible College (OH Jr.)
Briana Kaiser-Univ. of Wisconsin-Platteville (MB Sr.)
Audrey Krajec-Millikin University (MB Fr.)
Perrie Morgan-Elmhurst College (DS/Lib. Jr.)
Drewann Pancratz-Carthage College (S Sr.)
Sofia Sanchez-Univ. of Wisconsin-Whitewater (OH Sr.)
Caitlin Barrett-Middlebury College (DS/Lib.,  Jr.) 
Hannah Brickley-Trinity College (CT) (OH,  So.) 
Sydney Carfagno-Wellesley College (OH Fr.) 
Isabel Custudio-Wellesley College (S,  Jr.)
Traci Hamanaka-Wellesley College (DS/Lib. So.) 
Cassy Hanneman-UMass-Boston (S,  Sr.)
Audrey Kuan-Tufts University (DS/Lib.,  Sr.)
Kendall Lord-Tufts University (S,  Jr.)
Itza Nieves-Springfield College (DS/Lib. Sr.) 
Tessa Smolinski-Springfield College.(OH, So.)
Sheena Asibey-SUNY Cortland (MB,  Sr.)
Ashley Coyle-SUNY Cortland (OH, Sr.)
Melinda DiGiovanna-SUNY New Paltz (OH,  Sr.)
Lani Durio-Clarkson University (S, So.)
Maggie Kowalska-Stevens Inst. of Technology (RS/Opp. Jr.)
Jennifer Newhouse-SUNY Fredonia (RS/Opp. Sr.)
Brittany Raykoske-Elmira College (MB Sr.)
Eve Richards-Union College (NY) (OH Sr.)
Nicole Serekian-Richard Stockton Coll. of N.J. (RS/Opp. So.)
Kelley Vershbow-Skidmore College (OH Sr.)
Sasha Zavadska-Elmira College (OH Jr.)
Sarah Zureck-SUNY Fredonia (DS/Lib. Sr.)
Mallory Carter-Randolph-Macon University (OH Jr.)
Marli Dabareiner-Randolph-Macon University (DS/Lib. So.)
Maggie Emodi-Trinity University (OH Fr.)
Catharine Found-Trinity University (RS/Opp. Sr.)
Madison Reyes-Hardin-Simmons University (OH Jr.)
Rachel Thibodeau-Southwestern University (OH Jr.)
MJ Vickers-McMurry University (RS/Opp. Jr.)
Kate Ferrin-Chapman University (MH,  Jr.)
Katherine Grow-UC-Santa Cruz (OH, Jr.)
Jackie Harvey-University of Puget Sound (OH,  So.)
Samantha Lau-Linfield College (DS/Lib. Sr.)
Kylie McLogan-Cal Lutheran University (OH,  Fr.)
Samantha North-Pacific Lutheran University (S,  Fr.)

 Pearson-Cal Lutheran University (MH, Jr.)
Bree Riddle-Whitoworth University (S,  Sr.)
Amy Schornack-Colorado College (S, Sr.)