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American Dominates All-League Volleyball Honors
Eagles earn Player, Rookie and Coach of the Year honors in inaugural season

November 16, 2001

Sophomore Karla Kucerkova was named the Patriot League Player of the Year after an outstanding regular season for the Eagles.

WASHINGTON -- The American volleyball team continued its dominance of the Patriot League in its inaugural season, as five Eagles were named to the All-League teams, highlighted by a sweep of the individual honors and a Coach of the Year nod for Barry Goldberg.

Sophomore Karla Kucerkova (Olomovc, Czech Republic) was named the Patriot League Player of the Year and a First-Team All-League selection after an outstanding regular season for the Eagles. The 6-3 outside hitter was a three-time league Player of the Week honoree and led the league in kills, with 4.60 per game. She also ranked in the top-three in the league in hitting percentage (.350) while leading the Eagles in digs (2.54/game) throughout the year. Kucerkova was also recently named a Verizon Regional Academic All-American for her outstanding achievements in the classroom.

Patriot League Rookie of the Year Honors were split between American’s Sabrina Vasconcelos (Fortaleza, Brazil/Colegio Christus) and Navy’s Ashley Van Hartesvelt. Also a First-Team Patriot League honoree, Vasconcelos led the league in assists this season with 11.56 sets per game and was named the league’s Rookie of the Week twice throughout the course of the season.

A two-time Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Coach of the Year, Eagles’ head coach Barry Goldberg was honored as the Patriot League Coach of the Year after leading the team to a perfect 14-0 mark against league opponents and the league’s regular season title. Not only did American defeat each if its Patriot League opponents twice during the regular season, but the Eagles have not dropped a single game to their league foes, winning by a 3-0 margin in each of their league matches. Goldberg has led the team to the top of the national statistics in service aces, sixth in hitting percentage and ninth in win/loss percentage this season with a 22-2 overall record while also guiding the program to its second undefeated home season in Bender Arena.

Senior Eneida Muzhaqi (Elbasan, Albania/Qemal Stafa) earned the first league honor of her career as she was named to the All-Patriot League Second Team. The 6-2 outside hitter was second on the team in kills with 2.81 per game while also picking up 26 total blocks and a 1.03 digs per game mark.

Judit Szekelyhidi (Ujszentivan, Hungary/Szegedian Club) earned All-Patriot League Second Team honors as well, after ranking in the top-three in the league in blocks throughout the 2001 season. An All-CAA selection last year and a Patriot League Player of the Week honoree this season, the junior middle blocker averaged 0.96 blocks along with 81 service aces, 2.53 kills and 1.78 digs per game for the Eagles.

Freshman Sabrina Vasconcelos split Patriot League Co-Rookie of the Year honors in 2001.

Wrapping up the American representation on the All-League teams is freshman Daria Bobko (Moscow, Russia/S.E. School #783). A Patriot League Rookie of the Week selection this season, the 6-3 outside hitter earned All-Patriot League Second-Team honors after averaging 2.12 kills per game along with a .308 hitting percentage this year.

American is currently on a 19-match winning streak and a 15-match home win streak dating back to last season as it prepares to host the 2001 Patriot League Volleyball Championship this weekend. As the No. 1 seed, the Eagles will face No. 4 seed, and defending league champion, Bucknell on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. The second semifinal match pits No. 2 Lehigh against No. 3 Army at 2:00 on Saturday, while the championship match is scheduled for Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

American University became a full member of the Patriot League on July 1 after competing in the Colonial Athletic Association since the 1985-86 academic year. The University, founded in 1893, fields a 19-sport NCAA Division I athletics program, featuring 10 women’s sports and nine for men.