Dec. 6, 2001

Champaign, Ill. - University of Illinois sophomore middle blocker Lisa Argabright (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart HS) has been named All-Region for the Mideast Region as chosen by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). The Mideast Region consists of 44 schools hailing from the Big Ten, Mid-American, Metro Atlantic Athletic and Northeast Conferences. Argabright is one of 10 Big Ten players and one of only three non-seniors named to the 12-player team.

Argabright enjoyed a breakout sophomore year for the Illini, leading the team with 385 kills and 142 blocks. She ranked fourth in the Big Ten with 1.35 blocks per game and seventh in the league and second on the Illini with a hitting percentage of .349 for the year. In conference matches only, Argabright ranked fifth in the Big Ten with a team-best attack percentage of .360, while averaging 3.57 kills per game to rank ninth in the conference. Argabright, who played in all 105 games on the season, recorded double figures in kills in 23 of 30 matches. She tallied 20 or more kills in four of the last six matches, highlighted by a career-high 28 in the NCAA Tournament First Round victory over Missouri. Argabright tallied a career-high 11 blocks against Indiana and posted a career-best attack percentage of .750 (15 kills, 0 errors, 20 swings) against Iowa.

Argabright is now under consideration for AVCA All-America honors. 24 players will earn All-America status, as a 12-player First Team and 12-player Second Team will be chosen among the All-Region honorees from each of the eight regions. The AVCA All-America team will be announced Dec. 12.

AVCA All-Mideast Region Team

Name, School, Yr., Pos.

Lisa Argabright ILLINOIS So. MB

Lindsey Berg Minnesota Sr. S

Anne Botica Ohio State Sr. OH

Jenny Bowman Northern Illinois So. S

Lizzy Fitzgerald Wisconsin Sr. S

Stacey Gordon Ohio State Fr. OH

Stephanie Hagen Minnesota Sr. MB

Erin Hartley Michigan State Sr. OH

Sherisa Livingston Wisconsin Sr. MB

Sara Meyermann Iowa Sr. OH

Caty Rommeck Bowling Green Sr. MB

Katie Schumacher Penn State Sr. OH