Dec. 15, 2005

CLEVELAND - Nickole Kennedy, the 2005 Horizon League Volleyball Player of the Year, was selected on Thursday as an honorable mention All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. The senior opposite joins 2004 honorable mention honoree Jamie Bouyer as the only players in school history to earn All-America recognition from the AVCA.

"It is a tremendous honor for Nikki to be recognized among the best players in the country," CSU head coach Chuck Voss said. "She was our go-to player all year long and is very deserving of the award. It is also a big step for our program to have an All-American two years in a row."

A first team All-Horizon League selection for the second straight season, Kennedy led the league in hitting percentage (.318) and was third in kills (3.83) and fifth in blocks (1.06). She had 18 matches with double-digit kills, including five with 20 or more, capped off by a season-high 23 kills, a .390 hitting percentage and five blocks in the league semifinals. Named the league Player of the Week on Oct. 17, she was a member of the all-tournament team at all three of CSU's early-season tourneys.

The Sunbury, Ohio native finished her three-year career ranked ninth in school history with 1,025 kills and sixth with 351 blocks.

Cleveland State recently completed its best season in over two decades, posting a 19-10 overall record while finishing second in the Horizon League with a school-record 11-3 mark.

Each year, the AVCA recognizes 100 student athletes with All-America honors. The First, Second and Third-Teams all consist of 12 players, while 64 are awarded honorable mentions.