WINONA, Minn. —
Sarah Gardner (Rochester, Minn.) will join the rest of her Saint Mary's University volleyball teammates for her first-ever NCAA Division III Regional Tournament match Thursday evening.
And the Cardinal junior will take the court boasting a new title: First-Team All-Region.
Gardner earned that moniker earlier Thursday, when she was named to the 2009 AVCA All-Central Region — joining 13 other players, including seven from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, on the first team. Teammate
Jessica Mate (St. Charles, Ill.), meanwhile, was one of six players earning honorable-mention all-region honors.
Joining Gardner on the All-Region First Team from the MIAC are Saint Benedict's Beth Hanson and Emma Jaynes; St. Thomas' Kyley Crotty and Emily Foster; St. Olaf's Kelly Prunty and Kim Smisek; and Concordia's Jenna Green.
Gardner, who, along with Mate, was named All-MIAC First Team earlier in the week, entered the NCAA national tournament with a team-leading 358 kills (3.14 kills-per-set). The junior right-side — who was named to the all-tournament team in each of SMU's four regular-season tournaments — also leads the team in service aces (49), while sitting second in attack percentage (.278).
With her single-season career-high 358 kills and 174 digs, Gardner is one of three SMU players to have eclipsed the century mark in both categories.
Mate also enjoyed a career season this year, compiling 324 kills — second to Gardner on the squad — while also adding 134 digs, 11 service aces and 34 blocks.
The Cardinals entered Thursday's NCAA Central Regional match against Thomas More — their first national tournament appearance since 2000 — with a 21-9 overall record, the most wins since going 21-10 in 2004.
