Quartet of Wolverines Named Big Ten All-Conference
11/30/2009 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Nov. 30, 2009
PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- The No. 16-ranked University of Michigan volleyball team had four players earn All-Big Ten Conference honors, the league office announced Monday (Nov. 30). Junior setter Lexi Zimmerman (Barrington, Ill./Barrington) was a unanimous All-Big Ten first team selection for the second straight season, while senior outside hitter Juliana Paz (Porto Alegre, Brazil/Iowa Western CC) was also named to the first team. Sophomore Alex Hunt (Granger, Ind./South Bend St. Joseph) earned All-Big Ten honorable mention, while senior Veronica Rood (Temperance, Mich./Bedford) was one of 11 players honored with a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
Zimmerman, one of eight unanimous selections, leads the conference with 1,358 total assists, ranking third in the Big Ten with 11.04 per set. The award marks the third straight year she has garnered All-Big Ten honors after taking home All-Freshman accolades in 2007 and unanimous selection first team honors last season. Zimmerman was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after earning her first career triple double (11 kills, 42 assists, 17 digs) against Tennessee on Sept. 4, to go along with being named to all four in-season all-tournament teams. Zimmerman had five matches with at least 50 assists, dishing out a season-high 56 against Michigan State on Nov. 18.
Paz picks up All-Big Ten honors for the first time in her career. A starter in every match this season, she chalked up 474 kills to lead the Wolverines and rank fifth in the conference with 3.73 kills per set. Paz earned her first career Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award after registering 19 kills against Michigan State on Nov.18 and then setting a new career high with 23 terminations against Minnesota on Nov. 21. She was named AVCA National Player of the Week following that performance, becoming the first Wolverine to earn the award. She has also racked up 46 service aces and 284 digs on the year.
Hunt, who was a unanimous selection to the All-Freshman team last season, picks up conference honors for the second consecutive year. She currently ranks second on the team in kills (404) while leading in aces (53). She set the U-M single-match mark for aces earlier this season, picking up nine against Marquette on Sept. 19 and has notched double-digit kills in 22 matches this season, picking up 19 kills on two different occasions.
Rood takes home the Sportsmanship Award for the first time in her career. The senior has been stellar for the Wolverines this season, ranking third on the team with 287 kills and boasts a .304 hitting percentage.
Michigan (24-9 overall) will be in action this weekend when it hosts the first and second rounds of the 2009 NCAA Volleyball Championships at Cliff Keen Arena. Seeded No. 13 overall, U-M will face Niagara in first-round action on Friday (Dec. 4) at 7:30 p.m. The U-M/NU winner will face the winner of the Ohio University/Notre Dame match -- also taking place Friday (5:30 p.m.) -- in second-round action Saturday (Dec. 5) at 7:30 p.m.
• Full All-Big Ten Teams
Contact: Matt Fancett (734) 763-4423
