AVCA RELEASE
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – After leading the Fighting Illini volleyball team to its third-straight NCAA Sweet 16 appearance, redshirt-senior Jocelynn Birks was named American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) honorable mention All-America, the organization announced on Wednesday (Dec. 16) morning.
"I think it is awesome to be recognized individually," said Birks. "I gave the best that I had for this team and even though I know we all wish we were in Omaha this weekend, I am proud to have been a part of this program and grateful to be honored by the AVCA as well."
The accolade marks the third-straight season that Birks has earned AVCA All-America honors after being named Third-Team All-America in 2013 and Second-Team All-America a season ago. She is the fourth Illini to earn AVCA All-America honors on three occasions during her career, joining Mary Eggers, a three-time first-team honoree from 1986 to 1988, Nancy Brookhart, a three-time second-team selection from 1987 to 1989, and Michelle Bartsch, who earned third-team accolades in 2010 and 2011 and was an honorable mention honoree in 2009.
An outside hitter from Willow Springs, Ill., Birks finished off her Illini career in grand fashion as she became the program's all-time kills and attacks leader earlier this season and wrapped her career with 1,972 kills in 5,656 attempts. She also became just the 12th player in program history to register 1,000 digs in her career and is seventh all-time with 1,159 career digs.
Birks saved some of her best performances for last as she guided the Illini to their seventh NCAA Regional in the last eight years, with a pair of strong performances in the first and second rounds in Louisville, Ky., including coming within two kills of tying her career-high with a season-high 26 kills to go along with 10 digs against the host Cardinals in the second round on Dec. 5.
Birks, who also earned AVCA All-Northeast Region and All-Big Ten honors for the third-straight season, led the Illini with 435 kills and ranked third in the conference with 3.95 kills per set. Along with offensive prowess, she finished the season ranked second on the team with 283 digs. The elementary education major registered 14 double-doubles on the year and total 54 in her time as an Illini. She ranks third all-time in program history with 33 20-kill matches, including six in her final season and was named to the all-tournament teams at the Illini Classic, the B1G/Pac-12 Challenge and the Shocker Classic.
The AVCA honors 42 student-athletes on three All-America Teams, with 14 players selected to a First, Second and Third Team. This marks the first year all players representing the Honorable Mention All-Americans were selected by the AVCA Division I All-America selection committee, chaired by Indiana head coach Sherry Dunbar and featuring one head coach from each of the 10 regions (previously, players who made All-Region were automatically honorable mention if they did not make one of the three teams).
Stanford's Hayley Hodson takes home the AVCA Freshman of the Year, while the Division I AVCA National Player of the Year will be announced on Dec. 18 at the AVCA All-America/Players of the Year Banquet.
For more Fighting Illini volleyball news, stay tuned to FIGHTINGILLINI.com and follow the team on Twitter @IlliniVBall or like Fighting Illini Volleyball on Facebook.
