2011 AVCA Division II All-American release

November 28, 2011 - The Midwest Regional Champion Hillsdale College volleyball team was honored with three players on the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American teams.

Seniors Ashlee Crowder (First Team), Clara Leutheuser and Apryl Schmucker (Second Team) were each recognized by the governing body of volleyball. The AVCA announced its All-Americans Monday evening.

Only one other team - four-time defending national champion Concordia-St. Paul - had more players on the first and second All-American teams than the Chargers. No other team had more than two players combined on the first two All-American teams.

This is the second straight year Crowder (pictured) has earned First-Team All-American accolades, and the third time overall. She was the 2011 GLIAC Player of the Year, the GLIAC Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, and became Hillsdale's all-time leader in career kills this season.

Leutheuser was also honored by the AVCA for a third time, and her Second-Team recognition was the natural next step in her award progression. A two-time GLIAC leader in total blocks, Leutheuser was an honorable mention All-American pick by the AVCA in 2009, and was upgraded to a Third-Teamer in 2010. Leutheuser and Crowder are the only three-time All-American players in Hillsdale College volleyball history.

This marked the first All-American honor for Schmucker, the Chargers' supremely talented starting setter. She has skillfully directed the powerful Hillsdale offense to a 30-2 record and a team hitting percentage of .307 in 2011. During the regular season, Schmucker was named First-Team All-GLIAC and led the conference in assists and service aces.

Since 2006, a total of six different Charger volleyball players have earned 10 different All-American awards from the AVCA, setting a standard of excellence few programs anywhere can match.