December 4, 2012

SAMADAN NAMED ALL-NORTHEAST REGION, TOP FROSH, BY AVCA

RICHMOND, Va. – In a season of firsts for Martina Samadan (Split, Croatia), this one was probably the best.

On Tuesday, Samadan became the first VCU Volleyball player to be named to an AVCA Division I All-Region Team. A 6-foot-5 middle blocker, Samadan was selected to the All-Northeast Region Team and was tabbed Northeast Region Freshman of the Year following a spectacular debut season.
 
In a short time, Samadan has already left an indelible mark on VCU Volleyball. This season, she led the Rams to a 25-6 record and set school records for total blocks (172), blocks per set (1.67) and hitting percentage (.349) along the way. Samadan currently ranks fourt nationally in blocks per set and 65th in hitting percentage. She also registered 2.41 kills per set, second-best on the team, and served up 23 aces.
 
She was the driving force behind VCU's blocking attack, ranked third nationally. Samadan twice topped double-digits in blocks during a match this season, including 14 in a victory over Saint Louis on Oct. 12 at the Stuart C. Siegel Center. She also provided 12 kills and hit .688 against nationally-ranked Dayton Nov. 4.
 
Samadan's efforts earned an avalanche of praise. She was named First Team All-Atlantic 10 Conference, as well as the league's Rookie of the Year. In addition, she was honored as the conference's Rookie of the Week four times and Defensive Player of the Week twice. Samadan was also crowned the Most Valuable Player of the West Point Challenge and picked up an All-Tournament honor in all four of VCU's non-conference tourneys.
 
Two Rams, Ludmila Francescatto (2005, 2006) and Michala Kvapilova (2009), have previously been honored by the AVCA when they were named All-East Region Honorable Mention. Samadan is the first VCU player to exceed those citations.   
 

2012 AVCA All-Northeast Region Team    

Name

School

Position

Year

Toni Alugbue

University of Notre Dame

OH

SO

Lola Arslanbekova****

University of Louisville

OH

SR

Megan Campbell**

University of Dayton

MB

JR

Danielle Carlson**

Marquette University

MB

SR

Jeni Houson

University of Notre Dame

RS

SO

Elizabeth Koberstein

Marquette University

S

JR

Rachel Krabacher**

University of Dayton

OH

SR

Holly Mertens

Marquette University

RS

SR

Kendall Polan**

Yale University

S/H

JR

Gwen Rucker**

University of Louisville

MB

SR

Martina Samadan

VCU

MB

FR

Jordanne Scott**

University of Cincinnati

OH

SR

Samantha Selsky**

University of Dayton

S

SR

Caitlin Welch

University of Louisville

L/DS

JR

 

Region Freshman of the Year: Martina Samadan, VCU, MB

 
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