AUGUSTA, Ga. - Augusta State’s Jessica Howard has been named to the 2009 Daktronics Volleyball All-America Team, according to a recent announcement from Daktronics, Inc., and CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America).

With the selection, Howard becomes the first player in Jaguar Volleyball history to earn All-America honors and the first Peach Belt Conference student-athlete to be named to the Daktronics-sponsored squad since 2004.

Howard led the Jaguars to the second-winningest season in school history (22-12) and to the highest league finish (third place) since 1995. She became eligible for All-American consideration after earning first-team, All-Southeast Region honors on November 24.

A senior from Athens, Ga., Howard became the first Jaguar to be tabbed PBC Player-of-the-Year on Nov. 15. She led the league in kills with 524 (4.09 kpg.) and in blocks with 139 (1.09 bpg.) while ranking third in hitting percentage (.318).

A two-time PBC Player-of-the-Week selection in 2009, Howard registered a season-high and career-high 26 kills at USC Aiken on Oct. 1. She posted double-digit kills in 29 matches, including the last 17 in a row, and eclipsed the 20-kill mark eight times, including five times in conference play. In her career, she amassed 1,803 career kills and 548 career blocks. Both figures rank third all-time in PBC annals.

The All-American Team is sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., based on Brookings, South Dakota. Daktronics is an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition.

The voting was conducted by sports information directors from across the nation.

2009 Daktronics Volleyball All-America Teams

FIRST TEAM
Pos.   Player                School                 Class        Hometown
OH     Lauren Billo          Wingate                Jr.          Orland Park, Ill.
S      Maggie McNamara       Concordia-St. Paul     Sr.          Zumbrota, Minn.
OH     Pamela Cartagena      Pittsburg State        Sr.          Bayamon, Puerto Rico
OH     Jane Chafeh           Cal St-San Bernardino  Jr.          Fontana, Calif.
OH     Melissa Vanderhall    University of Tampa    Jr.          Hempstead, NY
MH     Emily Palkert         Concordia-St. Paul     Jr.          Excelsior, Minn.
MH     Stormi Gale           Wingate University     Jr.          Richmond, Texas
L/DS   Lauren Flynn          Texas A&M-Commerce     Sr.          Deer Park, Texas

SECOND TEAM

Pos.   Player                School                 Class        Hometown
S      Renata da Silva       California (Pa.)       Sr.          Sao Paulo, Brazil
OH     Sadie Kessler         Concordia-St. Paul     Sr.          St. Michael, Minn.
OH     Joanna Nist           California (Pa.)       Sr.          Rockwood, Pa.
OH     Tatiana Kuhn          Henderson State        Sr.          Esteio, Brazil
MH     JESSICA HOWARD        AUGUSTA STATE          SR.          ATHENS, GA.
MH     Nikki Scott           Nebraska-Kearney       Sr.          Broken Bow, Neb.
L/DS   Mary Slinger          Concordia-St. Paul     Sr.          Faribault, Minn.

THIRD TEAM

Pos.   Player                School                 Class        Hometown
S      Katie Rickwartz       West Texas A&M         Sr.          Canyon, Texas
OH     Arica Shepard         Emporia State          Sr.          Rossville, Kan.
OH     Megan Carlson         Concordia-St. Paul     So.          Andover, Minn.
OH     Mackenzie Snyder      Chico State            So.          Placerville, Calif.
MH     Melissa Harper        West Texas A&M         Sr.          Peoria, Az.
MH     Shawna Hines          Abilene Christian      Jr.          Aurora, Col.
L/DS   Bethany Wright        Henderson State        Sr.          Georgetown, Texas

HONORABLE MENTION

Calli Scott, Alaska-Anchorage; Roxanne Brunsting, UC-San Diego; Ludmila Amaral, California (Pa.); 
Fabiane Sebe, Hawaii-Hilo; Manuela Nesheva, Harding; Sara Malmlov, New Haven; Laura Prinsen, West Texas A&M.

2009 Daktronics National Player-of-the-Year
Maggie McNamara -- Concordia-St. Paul