Aug. 17, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Senior Sarah Rumely and junior Lauren Rapp have been named to the preseason All-Southeastern Conference team as voted on by league coaches, the league office announced Monday. Rumely was tabbed the 2008 SEC Player of the Year after her impressive junior campaign a season-ago.
UK’s starting setter since the moment she arrived in Lexington has continually put up impressive numbers registering over 1,000 assists in each of her first three seasons. As a junior she was named an AVCA All-America honorable mention selection becoming Kentucky’s seventh All-America selection in school history. Rumely holds the distinction of the only player in school allure to win SEC Freshman of the Year and SEC Player of the Year honors.
Rapp was a second-team All-SEC selection in her sophomore season and a unanimous selection to the All-SEC Freshman team in 2007. The right side hitter has been a force at the net both offensively and defensively. As a freshman she set the school record with 130 block assists as a first-year player. Last year, she led the team as the only player to eclipse the 20-kill plateau in a match twice.
Both Rapp and Rumely have started every match of their UK careers. The tandem becomes just the second and third players to earn a preseason nod from the league coaches in history. The vote officially began just last season and former middle blocker Queen Nzenwa was named to the preseason team in 2008.
The coaches’ preseason All-SEC team consists of a minimum of nine players, all of which are voted on by the league coaches. This year’s team had the minimum of nine players selected.
Stay tuned to UKathletics.com for complete coverage of the Kentucky volleyball team.
All-SEC Preseason Team
Britnee Cooper, LSU, senior, middle blocker
Elyse Cusack, Florida, senior, libero
Nikki Fowler, Tennessee, junior, outside hitter
Kristy Jaeckel, Florida, sophomore, outside hitter
Ivana Kujundzic, South Carolina, senior, outside hitter
Kelly Murphy, Florida, sophomore, setter/right side hitter
Lauren Rapp, Kentucky, junior, right side hitter/middle blocker
Sarah Rumely, Kentucky, senior, setter
Brooks Webster, Alabama, senior, outside hitter
