Five Spartans Earn All-America Selections

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced its selections for the 34th annual AVCA All-America teams for NCAA Division II women's volleyball. No. 1 ranked University of Tampa Spartans volleyball juniors Marissa Lisenbee, Jessica Wagner, Berkley Whaley, and senior Kahley Patrick all earned the prestigious selections.

Senior Meagan Burke also joined the honorees with a Daktronics First Team All-America Selection.

Hailing from Seminole, Fla., junior Marissa Lisenbee earns her second AVCA All-America First Team selection, after capturing the honor for the first time during her sophomore season. Competing in 29 of the Spartans' 31 games, the junior currently ranks second on the team with 255 kills, boasting a .366 attack average. The right-side hitter has also recorded 43 blocks this season, and was just named to the AVCA All-South Region First team and earned a Daktronics All-America Honorable Mention.

Jessica Wagner, a junior from Cape Coral, Fla., earned an AVCA All-American First Team selection after yet another impressive year. Heading into the national tournament with a .424 hitting percentage, the middle blocker becomes the 31st player in Tampa history to earn All-American honors. Earning her second-straight AVCA First Team All-South Region selection just last week, Wagner has been a defensive weapon for the Spartans, averaging 0.90 kills per set. The junior was also announced Wednesday as a Daktronics First Team All-America Selection.

For the second-straight year, junior Berkley Whaley earns AVCA All-America First Team honors as well. The outside hitter currently maintains a .366 attack percentage, averaging over 4 kills per set and nearly 3 digs per set. Just last week, she was named to the AVCA All-South Region First Team, and at the close of the regular season, Whaley was announced as the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year for the second-straight season. She wraps up the post-season accolades with a Daktronics All-America First Team selection.

Senior setter Kahley Patrick wraps up the AVCA All-American awards with a Second Team selection. The four-year starter from Clearwater, Fla. is among the national leaders this season with 1,160 assists. Averaging 12.08 assists per set, Patrick also leads the team in digs with 254 and ranks second with 20 service aces. Currently in fifth place in the Spartan record books with 4,568 career assists, Patrick goes down in history as the 32nd Tampa player in history to receive an All-America selection, a number that leads the nation for Division II. In addition, Patrick was honored by Daktronics on Wednesday with a Second Team All-America selection.

Earning a First Team All-America Daktronics selection, senior Meagan Burke a senior middle blocker and a two-sport star in both volleyball and softball, boasting Academic All-American honors in both sports. Burke is a three-time AVCA All-South Region selection and two-time All-American. The Jacksonville, Fla. native currently leads the nation with a .422 attack percentage, and was announced just last week as an AVCA All-South Region Honorable Mention.