Women’s Volleyball Earns 2010 GLVC Player And Coach Of The Year

Four Flyers honored

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – For the second consecutive season the Lewis women’s volleyball program has earned the Great Lakes Valley Conference Player and Coach of the Year awards, as announced by the league office on Thursday. Senior setter Rachel Ruedi (Mahomet, Ill./Mahomet Seymour) was named the 2010 Player of the Year while head coach Lorelee Smith took home Coach of the Year.

Ruedi and senior outside hitter Lauren Seliga (St. Louis, Mo./Nerinx) each earned All-GLVC First Team honors. Sophomore middle hitter Carly Perschnick (Dwight, Ill./Dwight Township/Nova Southeastern) took home Second Team accolades while senior middle hitter Danielle Mount (Crest Hill, Ill./Lockport) was named to the Third Team.

Ruedi averaged 10.51 assists per set with a total of 935. The versatile Ruedi also chipped in 209 digs, 124 kills and 52 blocks. She ranks third all-time in Lewis history with 3,368 assists. Ruedi earns the GLVC’s highest honor a season after Stephanie Sagat won the award. Ruedi was named All-GLVC First Team last season and Second Team as a sophomore.

“This award is the result of Rachel’s four years of hard work,” Smith said. “She’s fortunate to be surrounded by good hitters but to be a great setter you need to know who to set at the right time and she’s been able to do that.”

Seliga is the only player in the GLVC to rank in the top 10 in kills (3.40), aces (0.37) and digs (3.88) per set. She’s also the only player in the conference to lead her team in both total kills (266) and digs (253). This is the first time Seliga has earned All-GLVC honors.

“In my mind she’s been an all-conference performer every year,” Smith said. “I think offensively she turned a corner this year and therefore was noticed.”

Perschnick ranked sixth in the GLVC in hitting percentage (.349) and ninth in blocks (0.86). She also ranked second on the team in kills with 253.

Mount ranked sixth in the GLVC in blocks (0.95) while totaling 196 kills for Lewis.

“Carly and Danielle have done a great job of improving their weakness throughout the season,” Smith said. “They’ve both been a major asset to the team.”

Smith’s coaching honor is the second in her four-year career. She guided Lewis to a 23-4 (13-1 GLVC) record this season and a national ranking as high as No. 8. Over the last two seasons Lewis is 27-1 in conference play. It’s the first time since 1995 a coach has won GLVC Coach of the Year in consecutive seasons.

“Coach of the year is never a goal of mine,” Smith said. “It’s only a reflection of the high level of play the team displayed on the court and in practice.”

Lewis hosts the GLVC Tournament starting Friday. The Flyers play Drury at 7:30 p.m. at Neil Carey Arena.