MAGGIE MCNAMARA NAMED NCAA DIVISION II VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR!

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Concordia University, St. Paul junior setter Maggie McNamara has been named the 2008 Division II AVCA National Player of the Year, as announced by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) on Wednesday evening. McNamara is the first Golden Bear athlete to earn the honor since the award's creation in 1985. McNamara, a native of Zumbrota, Minn., has kept the Concordia offense churning all year, as the squad has posted a 34-1 overall record and is currently riding a 34-match win streak into the NCAA Division II National Championships, hosted in St. Paul, Minn. by Concordia University. The Golden Bears have been ranked in the top three of the Bison/AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll the entire length of the season, including serving nine weeks as the nation's top team. In her three seasons wearing a CU jersey, McNamara and the Golden Bears have compiled a stellar 106-8 record, made three appearances in the NCAA semifinals and captured the 2007 NCAA Division II National Championship. With McNamara's help, the Golden Bears have blanked their competition in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) again in 2008, turning in a perfect 20-0 record against league foes and securing it's fourth undefeated NSIC season in the past five years. McNamara picked up NSIC Offensive Player of the Year honors along the way, marking the fourth time in the past five seasons that a Golden Bear athlete has taken home the award. McNamara is leading the nation in assists for the third consecutive season, dishing out 13.41 helpers per set while directing the squad's attack arsenal to a .305 hitting percentage. She has been named NSIC Setter of the Week on six occasions in 2008, also earning Sports Imports/AVCA Division II National Player of the Week honors for her outstanding play the week of Sept. 9. McNamara has also been an outstanding defensive player for the Golden Bears, compiling the third highest number of digs this season with 268. In her career, she has 5,639 assists and 1,004 digs. In addition to being named AVCA Division II National Player of the Year, McNamara is a three-time AVCA All-American, earning First Team accolades in each of the past two seasons and landing a spot on the Second Team in 2006, the same year in which she was also named the AVCA Freshman of the Year. McNamara has garnered First Team All-NSIC honors in each of her three seasons as a Golden Bear. The formal presentation of the 2008 AVCA Division II National Player of the Year will be made Dec. 19 in Omaha, Neb. at the AVCA All-America/Players of the Year Banquet. The banquet, which will take place at the Qwest Convention Center, is held in conjunction with the 2008 AVCA Annual Convention.