Hinsdale South's Lisa Pierce has been named to the Chicago Sun-Times all-area first team. The 5-foot-11 outside hitter compiled 224 kills, 137 digs, 30 blocks and 41 aces while missing eight matches this season due to a knee injury.

"She is a one-in-a-million athlete," Hinsdale South coach Lisa Martinez told the Chicago Sun-Times. "Although she is incredibly talented and driven, she still is a wonderful all-around, balanced person. She still wants to learn and be pushed. She never wants the easy way out."

Big Ten top volleyball conference

According to the latest RPKI rankings released on October 31 by RichKern.com, the Big Ten Conference stands alone as the top conference for women's volleyball so far this season. That position is important, as the top conference at the end of the season has been awarded no less than six NCAA tournament spots in the past three years. Currently, Penn State (No. 2), Purdue (No. 6), Wisconsin (No. 7), Ohio State (No. 14), Minnesota (No. 25), and Michigan (No. 36) have good odds to be those teams.

Also within the past three years as the Big Ten has finished No. 1 (2004), No. 2 (2003) and No. 2 (2002) in conference RPKI, the conference has had no less than seven invitations to the NCAA tournament.

Purdue grad named head of AVCA

Purdue graduate Mary Wise has been elected to serve as the next president of the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Wise, a Purdue physical education graduate in 1981, holds a 561-113 record as a head coach and has been the head coach at the University of Florida since 1991.

"As president, my goal is to help promote volleyball, be it on college campuses or in areas of the country that are just starting volleyball," Wise wrote in her nomination statement. "The charge is to increase visibility and at the same time, increase AVCA membership, especially that of the high school and club coaches."

"In order to improve our sport, we must look beyond the personal battles and look at the big picture. As president, the question to be asked and answered will be 'What is good for volleyball?' We all have the responsibility to give back to our sport."