Ball State University Athletics
Amanda McCormick Named CVU.com National Libero of the Year
January 17, 2007 | Women's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - After compiling one of the most dominating defensive campaigns in NCAA history, Ball State women's volleyball senior libero Amanda McCormick (Muncie Ind./Muncie Burris H.S.) has been named the 2006 Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU.com) National Libero of the Year.
"It is an exciting honor to be recognized among so many great liberos in the country," said McCormick. "To be set apart and told you are the best is pretty satisfying." The award marks the second-straight season McCormick has been named on CVU.com's top defensive list, as she was a Libero of the Year Honorable Mention last season. The 2006 MAC Defensive Player of the Year, McCormick finished the year as an All-MAC First Team selection after posting an NCAA-record 7.68 digs-per-game average. She is just the second player in NCAA Division I history to record over 7.00 digs-per-game in a season, joining Becky Dreher (Oral Roberts), who tallied a 7.02 average 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 and is the only player in league history to record over 800 digs in a season. McCormick's season dig total was third in the nation behind only Ashley Smith's (Texas-Arlington) 863 and Stephanie Figgers' (Stephen F. Austin) 853. The total also ranks fourth in the NCAA Division I record books, behind Paula Gentil's (Minnesota) 924 digs in 2004, Smith's 863 and Figgers' 853. McCormick ended her two-year career with the Cardinals ranked third in BSU history with 1,579 digs. Prior to joining the Ball State squad, 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 than 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 in 2006, 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. In 2005, 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 honorable mention status. 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.
