Dec. 5, 2007

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Following another strong season of ACC volleyball, the league has been recognized with a multitude of postseason regional accolades, announced today by the AVCA. Clemson head coach Jolene Jordan Hoover, who led the Tigers to their first NCAA appearance since 1999, was named East Region Coach of the Year, while Virginia Tech's Felicia Willoughby was chosen as the region's top freshman. Eleven student-athletes from five different ACC schools were named to the AVCA East All-Region Team.

Leading the league with four All-Region selections was conference-champion Clemson. The Tigers, who posted their most wins since 1999 this past season, landed All-ACC selections Didem Ege, Danielle Hepburn, Kelsey Murphy and Meghan Steiner on the squad. Duke, who finished the year with 25 wins, placed three on the team, including ACC Player of the Year Carrie DeMange. Also represented on the team was Georgia Tech with two players, and Maryland and Virginia, with one each.

Clemson's Hoover, who also was honored as regional Coach of the Year in 1999, led the Tigers to one of their best seasons in recent memory in 2007. Her team compiled a 29-4 record this season, including a 21-1 mark in conference play which tied a league record for most conference wins in a season. The Tigers lost just 11 games in 22 conference matches, finishing the season with the league best team hitting percentage and ranked second in opponent hitting percentage, assists, kills and digs. On two occasions during the season, Clemson posted winning streaks of at least eight, including one that spanned 17 matches over the course of nearly two months. Hoover's squad posted an 8-3 record out of conference, won two matches against ranked teams, and ascended to as high as No. 20 in the national rankings near the end of the season. She currently ranks third all-time in the ACC with 149 league wins.

Willoughby, a first-year blocker from Pleasanton, Calif., becomes the first Hokie to win the AVCA Region Freshman of the Year award. During the 2007 season, she led the league and her team with 172.0 total blocks and a 1.51 blocks per game average, as the Hokies posted eight wins in league competition. She played in 114 games in 30 matches for the Hokies, averaging 2.66 kills per game with a .274 hitting percentage, and became the first Virginia Tech player to be honored as the ACC's Freshman of the Year.

AVCA Division I East Region Coach of the Year
Jolene Jordan Hoover, Clemson

AVCA Division I East Region Freshman of the Year
Felicia Willoughby, Virginia Tech

East All-Region
Jade Brown, Sr., OH, Maryland
Carrie DeMange***, Sr., OH, Duke
Didem Ege, So., DS/L, Clemson
Ali Hausfeld****, Sr., S, Duke
Danielle Hepburn**, Jr., MB, Clemson
Talisa Kellogg, Jr., OH, Georgia Tech
Sarah Kirkwood**, Sr., OH, Virginia
Rachael Moss, So., OH, Duke
Kelsey Murphy, So., S, Clemson
Ulrike Stegemann**, Sr., RS, Georgia Tech
Maghan Steiner, Sr., MB, Clemson

Honorable Mention
Jeannette Abbott, Jr., OH, Clemson
Leslie Mansfield, Sr., RS, Clemson
Jenny Shull, Sr., Lib, Duke
Felicia Willoughby, Fr., MB, Virginia Tech

*Denotes total number of years selected to AVCA All-Region Team