Several former metro-east volleyball players and a metro-east coach were honored when the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference recently announced its all-conference team.
Earning first-team all-conference were Greenville College senior middle blocker Tricia Gall (Triad High) and Greenville College sophomore setter Ellen Lueking (Carlyle High).
Gall had 256 kills, 89 blocks and twice earned conference Player of the Week honors. Lueking had 873 assists (8.64 per match),
Greenville sophomore outside hitter Nicole Schaffer (Carlyle) made the second team and Webster University sophomore Emily Ratkewicz (Granite City) made the honorable mention squad.
Schaffer had 213 kills and 27 service aces. Ratkewicz finished 19th in the nation in blocker per set among all Division III athletes.
Webster setter Sami Murray (Columbia) was second on the team in assists and received the SLIAC Sportsmanship Award.
Webster University coach Merry Graf, a Millstadt resident, was named SLIAC Coach of the Year for the second straight season after her team finished 24-10 and reached the NCAA Division III Tournament.
This was Graf's 12th season at Webster and her teams have made six NCAA Tournament appearances. The Gorloks are 239-128 during her tenure at the school.
Webster sophomore outside hitter Jenny Howard was named SLIAC Player of the Year.
Sophomore Sam Kersting became the first Webster player named to the Division III American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American Team.
She led the team in kills (290), hitting percentage (.354), solo blocks (44), block assists (89) and blocks per set (1.28).
Webster tied for the regular-season conference title and also had the SLIAC Player of the Year, six all-conference nominees and three all-tournament team selections.
