The NCAA News - News and Features

January 20, 1997

Burness, Ferguson head GTE academic volleyball team

Senior players from Texas Tech and Capital have been selected as GTE Academic All-America Team Members of the Year for women's volleyball.

Texas Tech's Jill Burness and Capital's Carrie Ferguson lead the 1996 GTE Academic All-America Teams in the university and college divisions, respectively.

Burness is a mathematics major and Ferguson is a psychology major.

The 36 players selected for the Academic All-America Teams in women's volleyball either are varsity starters or key reserves at their schools and maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.200 (4.000 scale). Team members are selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America.

The six university-division and six college-division first-team selections all are seniors, and boast a combined GPA of 3.850.

This year's teams:

UNIVERSITY DIVISION

First team

Jill Burness, Texas Tech, mathematics; Dana Cooke, Michigan State, advertising/studio art; Darcy Cruikshank, Rice, psychology/predental; Kate Galer, Northern Iowa, marketing; Kristen Kiessling, Furman, accounting; Brook Newbury, Stephen F. Austin, kinesiology.

Second team

Jennifer Falk, Drexel, marketing; Kristin Folkl, Stanford, economics; Angelica Ljungquist, Hawaii, political science; Heidi Lombardo, Temple, physical therapy; Susie Schumann, Stephen F. Austin, computer science; Vanessa Wells, Eastern Illinois, communication disorders/science.

Third team

Paige Carson, Manhattan, psychology; Laura Kulans, Valparaiso, biology/ chemistry; Lisa Reitsma, Nebraska, psychology; Mindy Stanley, Ball State, actuarial science; Amy Steele, Brigham Young, athletic training; Val Sterk, Michigan State, education.

COLLEGE DIVISION

First team

Neely Burkhart, Missouri Southern State, biology; Carrie Ferguson, Capital, psychology; Pavla Melicharova, Northwood, marketing/management; Jen Power, Franklin & Marshall, biology and psychology; Llana Roman, Emory, nursing (premedicine); Ann Sieckert, Augustana (South Dakota), nursing (premedicine).

Second team

Kristen Costello, Rochester, microbiology/immunology; Tanya Klebe, Rochester, mechanical engineering; Teresa Lemery, Ithaca, clinical science; Christy Molitor, St. Benedict, natural science (premedicine); Missy Rau, Allegheny, computer science; Elvira Vakhidova, Barry, in computer science/mathematics.

Third team

Kristen Bernthal, Truman State, communication; Jane Grant, New Haven, business administration; Lori Janssen, Grand Valley State, nursing; Kim Koelling, Nebraska Wesleyan, business/psychology; Jen Kuzma, St. Olaf, mathematics and economics; April Parker, Valdosta State, nursing.