Nov. 27, 2007

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Athletes from nine of the 12 ACC member institutions have been selected to the league's first- and second-team All-ACC volleyball squads, announced today by the conference. The Clemson Tigers, who claimed this year's conference title by posting a 21-1 record in league play, led all schools with six athletes on the two nine person teams.

Duke, who finished second in the league, placed three on the All-conference team, while Florida State and Georgia Tech each added two. Boston College, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and Wake Forest completed the teams with one selection each.

The ACC All-Freshman team, which honors six of the conference's top first-year performers from the season, featured one athlete from each Boston College, Maryland, Miami, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.

Duke's Carrie DeMange, a middle hitter from Springboro, Ohio, was voted this year's ACC Player of the Year, becoming the sixth-ever Blue Devil to win the award, and the second in the last two years. During the regular season, DeMange led a Duke team that won 19 games in conference play and was ranked in the nation's top 25 in every poll. She was named the league's player of the week three times in 2007, and was honored as the Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week on Oct. 22. For the season, she led the league and her team with 568 total kills, including a 5.07 kills per game average, and 644.0 points, and ranked second on the Blue Devils with 93 total blocks.

Felicia Willoughby of Virginia Tech became the first Hokie to win league Freshman of the Year honors since the school joined the conference in 2004. Willoughby, a middle blocker from Pleasanton, Calif., led the conference and the Hokies with 172.0 total blocks and a 1.51 blocks per game average during the 2007 regular season. She played in 114 games in 30 matches for the Hokies, averaging 2.66 kills per game with a .274 hitting percentage.

After leading her team to 28 overall wins in 2007 and a berth in the NCAA Tournament, Clemson head coach Jolene Jordan Hoover was voted as the league's top coach. For Hoover, the honor was her first in the ACC since 1994. In her 15th season at Clemson, Hoover led the Tigers to their best season since 1999, when they won 31 matches. Her 2007 team won eight matches more than last year's squad, leading the ACC in hitting percentage and ranking second in the conference in opponent hitting percentage, assists, kills and digs. This year's league title is the first for Clemson since 1997.

2007 All-ACC First Team
Carrie DeMange, Duke
Mira Djuric, Florida State
Didem Ege, Clemson
Ali Hausfeld, Duke
Danielle Hepburn, Clemson
Talisa Kellogg, Georgia Tech
Sarah Kirkwood, Virginia
Natalie Mullikin, Wake Forest
Kelsey Murphy, Clemson

2007 All-ACC Second Team
Jeannette Abbott, Clemson
Jade Brown, Maryland
Brianna Eskola, North Carolina
Kelsey Johnson, Boston College
Leslie Mansfield, Clemson
Rachael Moss, Duke
Ulrike Stegemann, Georgia Tech
Meghan Steiner, Clemson
Makini Thompson, Florida State

2007 ACC All-Freshmen Team
Audrey Eichler, Boston College
Katie Gallagher, Miami
Kelsey Jones, Wake Forest
Michelle Kenning, Maryland
Kendahl Voelker, Virginia
Felicia Willoughby, Virginia Tech

Player of the Year
Carrie DeMange, Duke

Freshman of the Year
Felicia Willoughby, Virginia Tech

Coach of the Year
Jolene Jordan Hoover, Clemson