Towson, Md.----The Wingate University volleyball team placed three student-athletes on the ESPN Academic All District III teams, released Thursday afternoon. Senior All-American middle blocker Stormi Gale (Richmond, Texas) earns first team honors for the third year in a row.
Senior middle blocker Rebecca Bloemer (Louisville, Ky.) joins Gale on the first team. She is also a three-time Academic All District III performer. She made the first team in 2008 and the second team in 2009. Senior outside hitter Lauren Billo (Orland Park, Ill.) was named to the third team, her first career ESPN Academic All District III distinction.
The members of the College Sports Information Directors of America selected the Wingate trio for these honors. Twenty-three student-athletes were named to either the first, second or third ESPN Academic All-District III volleyball teams (college division). The six first team members will advance to the national ballot.
A three-time first team All-South Atlantic Conference selection, Gale leads the league with a .386 hitting percentage, while ranking fourth with 3.30 kills per set. The 2009 SAC and Regional Player of the Year also ranks in the top five in the conference in blocks and aces. Gale became the first player in conference history to earn first team All-American honors in 2009. She was an honorable mention All-American in 2008, while earning All-Region honors both years.
Gale has 37 double-doubles in her Wingate career. She has 1,449 career kills, ranking second on Wingate’s all-time charts. Gale has 345 block assists in her career, ranking fourth in school history. Her 157 career aces rank sixth on the all-time charts. Gale’s 3.58 career kills per set is a school record, while her .320 hitting percentages ranks third in Wingate history. She is only 26 digs shy of 1,000 for her career. Gale is a Biology major with a 3.64 GPA.
Bloemer was a first team All-SAC selection in her freshman season, while also earning All-Freshman honors. She has 779 kills in her Wingate career. Bloemer has also piled up 167 blocks in her Bulldog career. She earned the prestigious American Volleyball Coaches Association Coaches 4 Coaches Scholarship this year. Bloemer is one of only eight student-athletes in all of college volleyball to receive this award. In addition, she serves as the president of Wingate’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Bloemer possesses a 3.97 GPA with a Communication Studies major.
Billo is a two-time All-SAC selection. She led the league with a .317 hitting percentage in 2009, while ranking second with 3.52 kills per set. Billo was a first team All-SAC and first team All-Region selection in 2009, while also earning honorable mention All-American honors. She ranks in the top 10 in the league in kills and hitting percentage this season. She has notched 1,047 kills in her Wingate career, ranking sixth on the school’s all-time list. Billo is a Physical Education major with a 3.43 GPA.
The three seniors have led Wingate to unprecedented success in their four years. The Bulldogs are 123-7 since their arrival in campus in 2007. The accompanying .946 winning percentage leads all of Division II in this time span. The ‘Dogs are 23-1 in 2010, leading the nation with a .958 winning percentage. Wingate is the only school to rank in the top three in the nation in winning percentage the last four years.
The Bulldogs clinched their fifth consecutive regular season SAC title last week; they will look for their fifth straight Food Lion SAC tournament title next week. Wingate has won a league-record 62 consecutive SAC matches. The Bulldogs became the first team in SAC history to earn an AVCA Top 25 ranking in 2009. Wingate has hosted the NCAA Southeast Regional Tournament each of the last two seasons. The ‘Dogs have been the top team in every Southeast Region poll since the start of the 2008 season.
The District III College Division consists of all non-NCAA Division I colleges and universities in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina and Virginia. To be nominated ESPN Academic All-America® honors, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore with a 3.3 cumulative grade point average and must be a starter or a significant reserve on her team.
Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 36 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate’s 45 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.
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