For Immediate release
Contact: Sam Ferguson, Averett
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December 21, 2004


Gladysz Headlines All-State Volleyball Team
Sheppard, Snyder Share Coach of the Year Honors

Danville, Va. – The Virginia Sports Information Directors selected Washington & Lee University’s Christine Gladysz as the College Division State Volleyball Player of the Year Tuesday.  Additionally, W & L head coach Bryan Snyder and Lindsay Sheppard of Christopher Newport University were each honored as State Co-Coaches of the Year.

     2004 VaSID College Division Volleyball All-State Team

Gladysz, a junior from Palm Harbor, FL, set her way to state honors in 2004 after helping to guide her Generals to a 28-8 record, including an Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.  She ranked among the NCAA’s top-10 in assists per game at 12.61 and tallied the second-highest season assist total in Washington & Lee history with 1,387.  Gladysz was recognized as a 2004 AVCA All-America third team selection, as well as the 2004 ODAC Player of the Year.

The voters were deadlocked in the coach of the year category, resulting in Sheppard and Snyder sharing the award.  Sheppard led the CNU Captains to a 32-8 overall mark and the USA South Tournament Championship.  The Captains earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four seasons and she led the team to their best single season winning percentage in the program’s history.  Snyder guided the Generals to a 28-8 overall mark, as well as ODAC regular season and tournament championships in 2004.  In fact, he has led W & L to 54 consecutive ODAC Conference victories and advanced them to the NCAA Tournament second round this season.  2004 marks the fourth consecutive year Snyder has been honored as State Coach of the Year.

Joining Gladysz on the all-state first team include W & L teammates Susan Gaillard (Charleston, SC) and Emily Wolfing (Mt. Airy, MD).  Gaillard is a junior middle blocker that was named first team All-ODAC after contributing 3.27 kills per game in 2004.  Wolfing is an outside hitter who earned AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honors as a senior in 2004.  She tallied 4.17 kills per game and is a two-time all-state first team selection.

Marymount senior outside hitter Mary Carroll (Woodbridge, VA) earned a spot on the first team after guiding Marymount to a 22-13 record.  Carroll was an All-Region performer in 2004, while averaging 2.67 kills per game.  A pair of athletes from the USA South Conference round out those honored on the first team, as CNU’s Tricia Nelson (Fairfax, VA) and Averett’s Courtney Peters (Henrico, NC) were both selected.  Nelson is a freshman outside hitter that was named the conference Rookie of the Year.  She garnered first team All-USA South accolades, while leading CNU in kills with 523.  Peters is a junior middle hitter and all-conference first teamer.  Additionally, she is a two-time all-state selection.  Peters ranked second in the USA South in attack percentage (.369) and tallied 361 total kills on the season.

The all-state second team consists of Amber Bradshaw (Chesapeake, VA) of CNU, Veronica Briggs (Phoenix, MD) of Randolph-Macon, Heather Cook (Dublin, VA) of Roanoke, Lauren Heltsley (Chesapeake, VA) of Virginia Wesleyan, Heather St. Clair (New Castle, VA) of Bridgewater, and Averett’s Lauren Wells (Statesville, NC).

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