Honors announced at SEC Banquet

November 17th, 2005

University of Florida senior All-American outside hitter Jane Collymore was honored for the second straight year as the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, while sophomore setter Angie McGinnis and sophomore middle blocker Kisya Killingsworth were named first team All-SEC as announced Thursday evening.

For the 12th consecutive season, Florida placed three members on the first team, while leading all schools with three members on the first team. The Gators have now captured the player of the year award in 13 of the 14 seasons in which the honor has been handed out. Sophomore outside hitter Marcie Hampton was honored as a second team All-SEC pick to give Florida a total of four members on All-SEC teams - the 14th straight season in which the Gators have had at least four players honored. In addition, junior opposite hitter Stefanie Douglas was named to the SEC Good Works team.

"Being recognized as All-SEC is indicative to playing well over a two and a half month season," Florida coach Mary Wise said. "These players have done just that."

Collymore led the SEC for the second straight year in kills per game (4.62) and finished with a league-best 0.60 aces per game in conference matches. She joined former Gator greats Aury Cruz (2001-03), Jenny Manz (1998-99) and Aycan Gokberk (1993, 95) as the only players in SEC history to claim the honor more than once. During the 2005 season, Collymore has climbed the Florida career charts as she ranks third in UF history in aces (172), fourth in kills (1,486), fourth in points (1,787) and eighth in digs (1,049). Earlier in the year, she became just the sixth player in Gator history to reach 1,000 kills and digs in a career. The first team All-SEC honor was the third in Collymore's career as she joined Cruz (2000-03), Benavia Jenkins (2000-03), Nicole McCray (1999-02), Manz (1997-99) and Jenny Wood (1994-96) as the sixth player in UF history with three first-team honors.

"We've been fortunate enough to have a legacy of great players," Wise said. "Jane has certainly continued that tradition. It's a deserving honor for a deserving player."

After playing on the right side as a freshman, Killingsworth moved back to her natural position in 2005 and flourished. She extended Florida's streak of having a middle blocker named All-SEC to 15 straight seasons after averaging 3.15 kills on .363 hitting with 1.35 blocks per game in 2005. Her hitting efficiency ranks as the fourth best by a sophomore in school history, while her block average is also fourth. Killingsworth led the Gators in blocks in 19 of 27 matches this season and finished third in the SEC in hitting (.363) and fifth in blocks (1.35).

McGinnis is enjoying one of the finest all-around seasons by a setter in Florida history. Her honor boosted Florida's total of first-team All-SEC setter awards to nine in the last 14 seasons. McGinnis led the SEC in assists per game (13.26), while also serving as a triple threat in averaging 1.26 kills per game on .394 hitting with 2.44 digs per game and 0.56 blocks per game. Her kills average and hitting efficiency were the best by any setter in the conference. Against Tennessee on Oct. 30, McGinnis became the first player in school history to record a triple-double when she tallied 59 assists, 22 digs and 10 kills.

Hampton earned second-team honors after making the All-Freshman team in 2004. She ended the season 10th in the SEC in digs per game 3.22 - an average that ranks as the seventh best in school history overall and the second-highest by a sophomore. Among players in the conference with at least 400 attempts during the season, Hampton led all players with an average of 11.1 swings for every attack error. She finished third on the team in kills (2.84) and was second in digs 3.22.

Douglas has logged nearly 20 hours of community service in the last two semesters of school to earn the SEC Good Works Team award. She is an active participant with Goodwill Gators and went to Terwilliger Elementary school on four different occasions in the fall to help out preschool children lacking in motor skills by teaching them on the playground. The junior has paid visits to the Children' Cancer Center at Shands Hospital with the Gator Club in addition to the Florida volleyball team's annual trip prior to Thanksgiving.

Florida begins play in the 2005 SEC Tournament on Friday when the top-seeded Gators take on #8 seed Georgia at 3:30 p.m. (ET) at the Coleman Auxiliary Volleyball Extension in Tuscaloosa. The contest will be carried live on WRUF-AM 850 and www.GatorZone.com. Should the Gators advance, Florida will play the winner of #4 Arkansas / #5 Kentucky at 4:30 p.m. (ET) Saturday. That match would be broadcast live on WGGG (1230 AM) and WMOP (900 AM). Should the Gators make the SEC Tournament championship match on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. (ET), the event will be carried live on Sun Sports as well as WRUF-AM 850.

2005 Southeastern Conference Volleyball Awards

Coach of the Year: Craig Skinner, Kentucky

Player of the Year: Jane Collymore, Florida

Defensive Player of the Year: Jenni Casper, Kentucky

Freshman of the Year: Marina Skender, LSU

Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Danielle Wallace, Kentucky

First Team All-SEC

Jane Collymore, Florida

Kisya Killingsworth, Florida

Angie McGinnis, Florida

Alexandra Oquendo, Georgia

Ivana Kuzmic, LSU

Kristen Andre, Tennessee

Yuliya Stoyanova, Tennessee

Second Team All-SEC

Bridget Fuentez, Alabama

Amy Allison, Arkansas

Marcie Hampton, Florida

Julia Petruschke, Georgia

Amy Kaplan, Kentucky

Danielle Wallace, Kentucky

Jelena Mijatovic, LSU

Marina Skender, LSU

Shonda Cole, South Carolina

Sarah Blum, Tennessee

Julie Knytych, Tennessee

Amy Morris, Tennessee

All-Freshman Team

Sarah Snider, Alabama

Christina Lawrence, Arkansas

Maria Taylor, Georgia

Queen Nzenwa, Kentucky

Marina Skender, LSU

Kyna Washington, LSU

Marija Milosevic, South Carolina

SEC Good Works Team

Jessica Yearout, Alabama

Amy Allison, Arkansas

Bailey Veit, Auburn

Stefanie Douglas, Florida

Simona Speed, Georgia

Julie Gagnon, Kentucky

Melody Clark, LSU

Jaclyn Toohey, Mississippi

Rachel Cooper, Mississippi State

Nicole Miller, South Carolina

Kristen Andre, Tennessee