Ball State University Athletics
McCormick Named MAC Defensive Player of the Year
November 27, 2006 | Women's Volleyball
"Amanda set a defensive standard that has never been seen before," said BSU head coach Randy Litchfield. "She put this team on her shoulders and made a struggling volleyball team into a competitive team. That is very difficult to do from a backcourt position."
An All-MAC First Team selection, McCormick finished the year with an NCAA-record 7.68 digs-per-game average, becoming just the second player in NCAA Division I history to record over 7.00 digs-per-game in a season. Prior to McCormick, the NCAA single-season record was 7.02 digs-per-game set by Oral Robert's Becky Dreher in 2004. The BSU and Mid-American Conference single-season mark entering the year was 6.32 set by McCormick last season. McCormick also finished the season with a BSU and MAC single-season record 852 digs in 111 games (30 matches), becoming the only player in league history to record over 800 digs in a season. Entering the week, McCormick's season dig total was second in the nation behind only Texas-Arlington's Ashley Smith who collected 863 digs in 132 games (35 matches). McCormick's total currently ranks third in NCAA Division I record books, behind only Minnesota's Paula Gentil who posted 924 digs in 2004 and Smith's total. McCormick ended her two-year career with the Cardinals ranked third in BSU history with 1,579 digs. Prior to joining the Cardinals, McCormick tallied 718 digs in two seasons at Nebraska (2003-04) to give her a career total of 2,297. According to the current NCAA Division I Record Book, McCormick's 2,297 career digs place fourth in NCAA history, 24 better then the previous BSU and MAC career record-holder Stephanie Keller who racked up 2,273 digs from 2001-2004.
McCormick, a two-time MAC West Division Player of the Week this season, was named CVU.com National Player of the Week after becoming the first player in BSU and league history to record 50 digs in a match with an even 50 versus Toledo (Sept. 28). With the honor, McCormick became the first two-time recipient of CVU.com's top weekly individual honor in the three-year history of the award, after earning the title once last season. During the course of the 2006 season, McCormick tallied double-figure digs in 29 of BSU's 30 matches, with 20-or-more digs on 24 occasions, 30-or-more digs in 14 contests and 40-or-more digs four times. She also averaged 10-or-more digs per game in seven matches. Last season, McCormick earned recognition on the inaugural Collegiate Volleyball Update Stellar Spikers First Team and was one of five finalists for the CVU.com Libero of the Year Award, earning CVU.com Libero of the Year Honorable Mention accolades. An All-MAC Second Team selection a year ago, McCormick became the first player in school history to earn National Player of the Week accolades when she was named the CVU.com National Player of the Week on Nov. 8, 2005. In addition McCormick joined Rachel Refenes to become the first women's volleyball players in school history to earn All-America honors, when the pair were selected to the 2005 American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America Honorable Mention squad, after being honored on the 2005 AVCA All-Mideast Region Team.
