Nov. 28, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Kentucky volleyball team had six players earn All-Southeastern Conference honors it was announced by the league office on Monday morning. Senior Ann Armes was named the Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year and junior Stephanie Klefot claimed Libero of the Year accolades for the second consecutive season to lead the way for the Blue and White.
Klefot was joined by junior Christine Hartmann and sophomore Whitney Billings on the All-SEC First Team. Junior Ashley Frazier earned All-SEC Second team honors, and freshman Lauren O’Conner was named to the All-SEC Freshman team.
Klefot is the third player in UK history to earn a Player of the Year honor twice in a career, joining former defensive specialist Jenni Casper and setter Sarah Rumely as the other players to earn the distinction.
Klefot led the conference with 4.75 digs per set. She also ranked among the league leaders with 29 service aces for the season. The Louisville, Ky., native charted 30 matches this season with 10 or more digs and was a three-time winner of the SEC Defensive Player of the Week award. Her 542 digs for the season is a career-high, and ranks as the third highest total in a single-season in UK allure. The junior earns first-team accolades for the first time in her career. As a sophomore she was a second-team selection and she was a member of the All-Freshman team in 2009.
Armes is a graduate student in Nutrition and Food Science with a 3.53 cumulative grade point average. Armes is the third player in school history to earn SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year honors.
Armes was a John Wooden Citizen Cup Semifinialist in 2011. She serves as the SAAC President and has been inducted into the Frank G. Ham Society of Character which is the highest honor any UK student-athlete can receive. She is a two-time member of the SEC Community Service team and a four-time All-SEC Academic team honoree. Armes is enjoying the best season of her career following a position switch to middle blocker. She ranks among the top-10 in the SEC and leads the team with a .306 hitting clip.
Hartmann is an All-SEC selection for the first time in her career. The St. Charles, Ill., native directs the most balanced and one of the most efficient attacks in the conference with more than 11 assists per set, with six different players record between 2.15 and 3.12 kills per frame. Hartmann has turned in career high performance in every category this season in leading UK to a 17-win SEC season which has included career-bests in assists, blocks, digs, hitting percentage and kills.
Billings is a first-team selection for the first time in her career after earning a spot on the All-SEC Freshman team a season ago. The do-everything player ranks among UK’s leaders in kills per set and digs per frame. She averages 2.45 kills per set and 2.59 scoops per stanza while also charting a career-best 0.67 blocks per frame. The Helena, Ala., native totaled seven double-doubles in her sophomore season and posted 10 or more kills in 13 matches.
Frazier earns second-team honors for the first time in her career after leading the Wildcat offensive unit with 3.12 kills per set. The Oregon, Ohio, native is also a dynamic server with a team-high 36 aces which ranks among the league leaders in that category. Frazier charted 10 or more kills in 22 matches this season and led UK in that category on 12 occasions.
O’Conner continues a string of All-SEC Freshman team accolades under Skinner’s tutelage. A UK player has earned All-SEC Freshman team honors in every season in his coaching tenure. O’Conner was a full-time starter for the Blue and White and posted 2.20 kills per set while topping the 10-kill plateau on nine occasions.
The Wildcats were selected to their seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament on Sunday night. UK will open the 2011 tournament with Dayton on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 5:30 p.m. ET in College Station, Texas.
Kentucky’s Memorial Coliseum will play host to the NCAA Regionals Dec. 9-10. UK is one of four sites selected for Sweet 16 and Elite Eight matchups with one team advancing to the Final Four in San Antonio, Texas, from the Lexington Region. Opening night matches are scheduled for 5 and 7 p.m. ET. Saturday’s final is set for a 4:30 p.m. ET first serve.
Tickets are now on sale through the UK Ticket Office. All-Session Tickets are reserved for all ages at $14. General Admission tickets for adults are priced at $12 and students or seniors’ general admission is slated for $8.
Single session tickets are priced at $8 for reserved for all ages. General admission for adults is priced at $7, with students and seniors priced at $5. Youth single session tickets are $4.
For tickets or more information feel free to call, 1-800-928-CATS.
Visit UKathletics.com for the most up-to-date information on the UK volleyball team and all of Kentucky’s 22 teams.
2011 All-Southeastern Conference Awards
Player of the Year: Kelsey Robinson, Tennessee
Libero of the Year: Stephanie Klefot, Kentucky
Freshman of the Year: Mary Pollmiller, Tennessee
Co-Scholar-Athletes of the Year: Ann Armes, Kentucky; Kristy Jaeckel, Florida
Coach of the Year: Rob Patrick, Tennessee
First Team All-SEC
Jasmine Norton, Arkansas
Kristy Jaeckel, Florida
Kelly Murphy, Florida
Whitney Billings, Kentucky
Christine Hartmann, Kentucky
Stephanie Klefot, Kentucky
Leslie Cikra, Tennessee
DeeDee Harrison, Tennessee
Kelsey Robinson, Tennessee
Second Team All-SEC
Kelli Stipanovich, Arkansas
Tangerine Wiggs, Florida
Desiree Elliott, LSU
Madie Jones, LSU
Meghan Mannari, LSU
Ashley Frazier, Kentucky
Regina Thomas, Ole Miss
Caitlin Rance, Mississippi State
Tiffany Baker, Tennessee
Mary Pollmiller, Tennessee
All-Freshmen Team
Taylor Unroe, Florida
Lauren O’Conner, Kentucky
Helen Boyle, LSU
Malorie Pardo, LSU
Lainey Wyman, Mississippi State
Tiffany Baker, Tennessee
Mary Pollmiller, Tennessee
