Bama Volleyball Trio Garners All-SEC Honors
11/18/2004 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
 |
|
» Complete All-SEC Team Release 
GAINESVILLE - The Southeastern Conference office announced its list of postseason honorees for volleyball on Thursday night at a banquet for the SEC Tournament and a trio of Alabama athletes was among the group of award winners.
Seniors Erin Heffner and Julie Farley along with freshman Brigitte Slack all garnered All-SEC distinction as voted on by the 11 coaches in the SEC. Heffner was named to the All-SEC first team with Farley earning a second team selection. Slack was chosen as a member of the Freshman All-SEC squad.
"These selections are a reflection on the hard work and commitment our entire team made this season," said UA head coach Judy Green. "We have enjoyed a pretty successful season thus far including earning a share of the SEC Western Division title and I feel like our three players were very deserving of their awards."
Heffner, a 6-0 outside hitter from Ft. Wayne, Ind., earned her second consecutive first-team selection after leading the SEC and ranking seventh in the country for kills per game. The school's all-time career leader in kills and just the third player in SEC history to reach 2,000 career kills, Heffner becomes the first Alabama volleyball player to garner All-SEC accolades for four years. She earned second-team honors in her freshman and sophomore seasons before making the first team list this year and last.
|
|
"Erin was a clear choice for the first team," said Green. "She has been a leader for our team all year and has put up some very strong numbers. I think Erin is one of the best outside hitters in the country and is definitely deserving of consideration for even higher honors."
Farley, a 6-1 middle blocker from Edgewood, Ky., had one of her most productive seasons this year for the Tide. She was second on the team in kills and blocks and was ranked fourth in the SEC for hitting percentage. Farley is currently tied atop Alabama's career block assist list and is on pace to finish the year with the highest hitting percentage ever by at UA senior at .358.
"Julie has probably been our most consistent player this season," added Green. "This honor is a compliment to how hard she worked this past off-season and during this year. I am so glad that the coaches around the league recognized that commitment and rewarded her for it. I am thrilled to see Julie get an honor like this at the end of her career."
|
|
"Brigitte has done a tremendous job of running our offense this year at a very high and efficient level," Green said. "It is amazing the way she has taken over as a true freshman. She has steadily improved her game from the start of the season to this point. I am very proud of her accomplishments this year and look for more and greater things from here on out."
The Tide's All-SEC trio and the rest of the Alabama squad are set to begin postseason play on Friday at the SEC Tournament. Alabama, the fourth seed, takes on fifth-seed Georgia at 5 p.m. (ET).
