Dec. 7, 2000

Champaign, IL - The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) has announced its 2000 All-Region teams, and for the second year in a row, Illinois senior middle blocker Betsy Spicer (Barrington, Ill./Barrington HS) has been named to the Mideast's All-Region team.

Spicer led the Big Ten and ranked ningth in the nation with an attack percentage of .398, which also ranks as the sixth-best season hitting percentage in Illinois history. She hit over .400 in 18 of Illinois' 31 matches, and hit a combined .375 against nationally and regionally ranked opponents. She ranked second on the team in kills, amassing 473 for an average of 3.85 kills per game. Spicer's credentials were just as impressive defensively. Playing in every rotation of all 123 games during Illinois' season, Spicer finished second on the team in digs (273 total, average of 2.22 per game) and also second in blocks (119 total, 0.97 per game).

Spicer wraps up an illustrious collegiate career that has put her in the Illinois record books. She tallied 1,245 kills, which ranks sixth all-time at Illinois for career kills. Her hitting percentage over four years was .348, which stands as the fifth-best career attack percentage in school history. Spicer also leaves Illinois ranked sixth all-time in career blocks, tallying 456.

12 players are chosen to each All-Region team, from the eight regions across the country. The Mideast region consists of 44 teams from four conferences (Big Ten, Mid-American, Metro-Atlantic, and Northeast). 10 of the 12 players named to this year's Mideast All-Region team hail from the Big Ten, with one recipient each coming from the Mid-American and Metro-Atlantic Conferences.

2000 AVCA Mideast All-Region Team

Lindsey Berg (Minnesota) Nicole Branagh (Minnesota) Lizzy Fitzgerald (Wisconsin) Stephanie Hagen (Minnesota) Mishka Levy (Penn State) Sherisa Livingston (Wisconsin) Jenny Maastricht (Wisconsin) Emily Sallee (Ball State) Joanne Saunders (Farifield) Katie Schumacher (Penn State) Betsy Spicer (Illinois) Katie Virtue (Ohio State)