2010 AVCA Division II All-Americans press release

November 29, 2010 – For the third time in the past five years, the Hillsdale College volleyball team has a First-Team All-American player. And this year, she is far from alone.

Junior outside hitter Ashlee Crowder was named to the 2010 AVCA Division II First-Team All-American squad. The teams were released early Monday evening.

In addition to Crowder’s honor, two other Charger players earned All-American honors from the AVCA. Junior middle hitter Clara Leutheuser was named Third-Team All-American, and senior libero Sydney Down earned honorable mention All-American honors.

Crowder (pictured) joins Taryn Rudland (2006) and Melissa Bartlett (2007) as Hillsdale College volleyball players who have earned First-Team All-American distinctions from the AVCA, and they are the only three players in school history to earn those honors. Crowder was a Third-Team All-American selection a year ago, but improved on that standing by leading Hillsdale to a 29-2 season in 2010 with a fantastic season. She was named the 2010 GLIAC Player of the Year – just as Rudland and Bartlett were – and finished the season with 406 kills, 167 digs and 60 total blocks. This honor adds to Crowder’s staggering resume, which also includes being named the 2008 GLIAC Freshman of the Year and back-to-back First-Team All-Region honors.

Leutheuser moved up one “section” in the AVCA awards list this year after earning honorable mention All-American status in 2009. Leutheuser was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2010 GLIAC Tournament, won by Hillsdale, and led the conference with 1.35 blocks per set this season. She was second on the team with 279 kills and recorded 144 total blocks this season. She has also been named First-Team All-GLIAC and First-Team All-Region two years in a row.

Dow’s selection as honorable mention All-American completes a remarkable journey for a player who originally joined the program as a walk-on prior to the 2007 season. Since then, Dow has become a three-year starter at libero, been a team captain for two years and has been named the GLIAC Libero of the Year two years in a row. Dow and Leutheuser were each named to the Midwest Region All-Tournament Team, and Dow becomes the fifth different Charger player since 2006 to become an All-American player.

Hillsdale won the GLIAC regular season and tournament championships this season, and its 29-2 record tied for the best mark in school history. The Chargers’ 19-0 conference record is also tied with the 1998 Northern Michigan University Wildcats for the best single-season in-conference record in GLIAC history.