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Kvapilova, a 6-1 outside hitter, was also selected All-CAA First Team. She was one of only two freshman to earn a spot on one of the three All-CAA squads. Kvapilova was one of a school-record five players to claim All-CAA honors Sunday night. She may have started slowly, but Kvapilova finished strong. The dynamic Czech averaged a team-best 2.74 kills per set and hit .224. She also averaged 2.08 digs per set and blasted a team-high 37 service aces. Kvapilova was nearly unstoppable in CAA-play and averaged 3.53 kills per set and hit .247 in 14 league matches. Kvapilova was named the CAA’s Rookie of the Week a league-high four times this season. The rookie recorded six double-doubles and topped 15 kills in a match on 10 occasions. Her 323 kills this year are the most by a VCU freshman since Rachel Chapin in 2004. Senior Ivana Rich (Cumberland, Va.) was selected All-CAA Second Team. It’s the second straight season the former walk-on has earned an all-league citation. It’s been a landmark season for the 5-11 middle blocker. On Nov. 6, in a match against James Madison, Rich became the Rams’ all-time leader in blocks with 351. Rich is also second in the CAA with a .334 hitting percentage. She is on pace to shatter the VCU single-season record for hitting percentage of .315, set by Shelley Sprouse in 2000. Rich is averaging 2.21 kills and 0.79 blocks per set. Meanwhile, juniors Lenka Melicharkova (Zlin, Czech Republic) and Kelsie Clegg (Boise, Idaho) were All-CAA Third Team picks. It’s the first All-CAA nod for both players, although Melicharkova was the Sun Belt Conference’s Rookie of the Year in 2007.
Clegg ranks second in the CAA in blocks per set at 1.14. In addition, she is nine blocks away from VCU’s single-season record of 147, set by Jonnie Stone in 1990. Clegg has also averaged 1.91 kills per set, while hitting .283. Freshman Marisa Low (Carlsbad, Calif.) joined Kvapilova on the CAA All-Rookie Team. Since taking over at libero early in the season, she has sparkled. Low has averaged 3.45 digs per set this season, but in CAA play that number jumps to 4.73 digs per set. VCU (24-8) has earned the right to host the CAA Championships for the first time Nov. 23-24 at the Verizon Wireless Arena at the Stuart C. Siegel Center. The Rams will meet fourth-seeded William & Mary at 7 p.m. on Monday. Second-seeded Delaware and third-seeded George Mason will also battle at 4 p.m. on Monday. 2009 ALL-CAA VOLLEYBALL TEAM All-CAA First Team All-CAA Second Team All-CAA Third Team 2009 CAA Player of the Year: Holly Goode, George Mason *First Team All-CAA in 2008 All-Rookie Team |
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RICHMOND, Va. – Freshman Michala Kvapilova (Liberec, Czech Republic) (pictured, right) became to the first Virginia Commonwealth University player to receive Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Year honors Sunday at the league’s annual awards banquet. 
Melicharkova has been one of the CAA’s best setters this season, averaging 9.43 assists per set. Additionally, she is averaging 0.98 kills and 2.79 digs and has 30 aces. All rights reserved.
