AU Volleyball Earns Four PL Major Awards

Nov. 20, 2008

WASHINGTON - The American University volleyball team earned four major awards from the Patriot League on Thursday at the conference's volleyball banquet. Rubena Sukaj, Christina Nash and Ivana Cebakova were each named PL Players of the Year while Rebecca Heath was named the PL Rookie of the Year.

"I want to congratulate these four young ladies on receiving these prestigious awards," Head Coach Barry Goldberg said. "It is an honor for them to be recognized for their individual accomplishments over an entire season."

Sukaj was named the PL Player of the Year for the third straight year. This season, she set both the PL and AU career records for kills (2,039) and aces (291) and ranks 12th in the NCAA in aces per set (0.51) and 17th in kills per set (4.23). In the PL, Sukaj ranks first in kills per set, is second in aces per set and ninth in hitting percentage (.285). Sukaj was also named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II First Team for the second-consecutive season earlier this year and is a four-time All-PL Selection, three-time PL Academic Honor Roll selection and two-time AVCA All-America Honorable Mention.

For Nash, her selection as the PL Setter of the Year marks her second major award from the conference. This season, she ranks second in the PL in assists per set (10.15) and is ninth in aces per set (0.33). Nash has recorded 3,844 career assists and is third all-time at AU and fifth all-time in the conference. Nash was also the 2006 PL Co-Setter of the Year, is a two-time All-PL selection and is a three-time PL Academic Honor Roll honoree.

Cebakova repeated this year as the PL Defensive Player of the Year after sharing the honor in 2007. Cebakova currently leads the nation in aces per set (0.67) and ranks fourth in the Patriot League in digs per set (3.42). She set an American University record with 12 aces against Lehigh earlier this year and is the school's all-time leader in digs per set (3.66). Cebakova also ranks second all-time at AU in digs (1,176), is a two-time All-PL selection and was named to the PL Academic Honor Roll in 2006.

Heath garnered PL Rookie of the Year honors after setting a PL record for most weekly awards won as she was named the Baden Rookie of the Week six times. The freshman is currently ranked ninth in the PL in kills (2.87) and is fourth on the team in digs (1.59). Heath recorded a double-double in her first collegiate match with 13 kills and 10 digs against George Washington (8/29/08) and has three total on the year.

American will host the 2008 PL Volleyball Tournament this Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21-22, in Bender Arena as the tournament's No. 1 seed. American captured its eighth-consecutive PL Regular Season title to earn the top seed with an overall record of 22-8 and a conference mark of 13-1. The Eagles will play in the first semifinal match on Friday against No. 4 Bucknell at 6 p.m. before No. 2 Army and No. 3 Colgate take the court at 8 p.m. in the second semifinal match. The winner of each match will meet on Saturday at 8 p.m. in the championship match. Fans who are unable to attend the tournament can watch live streaming video of each match on their computer via Eagle Vision All*Access.