2013 Tachikara Volleyball All-Americans Announced

12/9/2013 5:59:41 PM

EOU's Casey Loper Named Third Team, Five Others Honorable Mention

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced the 2013 Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball All-America teams, as chosen by the NAIA Volleyball All-America Selection Committee, Monday. Each team—first, second and third—consists of 14 members.

The Cascade Conference Player of the Year, Casey Loper from Eastern Oregon, was named to the third team. Five other CCC student athletes earned All-American Honorable Mention recognition including; Liz Meyers (COI), Sierra Porter (COI), Lindsay Mangan (CU), Mariah Raudsepp (CU) and Stefani Sorensen (EOU).

Texas at Brownsville senior outside hitter Danica Markovic, a Subotica, Serbia, native, was selected as the 2013 Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball Player of the Year. Markovic is a four-time All-America selection, having been named to the first team in 2010, 2012 and 2013 and the second team in 2011. She led the Ocelots to their fifth-straight National Championship appearance, culminating in the team’s second national championship. Markovic is the first Texas at Brownsville player to earn the honor since the award’s inception in 1990.

Markovic played in all 37 matches for the Ocelots, leading the team to a perfect 37-0 record. She recorded a team-high 409 kills, an average of 3.47 per game, and tallied an NAIA-high 91 service aces, an average of .77 per game, on the season. She also added 56 blocks, 16 assists and 310 digs on the year. Nationally, Markovic ranked among the leaders in total service aces (1st, 91), service aces per game (6th, .77), hitting percentage (10th, .374) and kills per game (49th, 3.47).

Biola’s (Calif.) Aaron Seltzer was named the 2013 NAIA Volleyball Coach of the Year after leading the Eagles to a 27-4 record and a runner-up finish at the National Championship. He is the first Biola head coach to receive the honor since the award’s inception in 1981.

Biola, Concordia (Calif.), Madonna (Mich.) and Texas at Brownsville all landed multiple players on the first team. Markovic, Vanja Joksic and Ana Guerra were the All-Americans for national champion Texas at Brownsville. National runner-up Biola led all programs with four All-America selections—Chelsee Arnitz (First Team), Gracee Gallarda (First Team), Amy Weststeyn (First Team) and Joclyn Kirton (Second Team).

Former-member Fresno Pacific leads all institutions with 54 all-time All-Americans. Columbia (45) and Biola (40) trail the Sunbirds.

2013 Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball All-America Teams

First Team (sorted by school)

Second Team (sorted by school)

Third Team (sorted by school)

^ Denotes 2012 All-American

Honorable Mention (sorted by school)