May 9, 2008
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -
Two former LMU volleyball standouts have been named to the 16-member USA Volleyball Board of Directors, it was announced on May 8. U.S. indoor National Team members Sarah Noriega and Reid Priddy will be the new Athlete Directors for the indoor volleyball discipline.
Noriega, who is currently seeking a spot on the 2008 Olympic Games roster, became just the fifth volleyball player in LMU history to have her number retired on October 13, 2007, an honor reserved for the top athlete, student, and person. Her jersey joined those of four other LMU volleyball greats: Tracy Holman (1994-97), Sarah McFarland (1997-2000), Mardell Wrensch (1992-95), and Kealani Kimball (2000-2003).
Noriega led the Lions from 1994 through 1997, but recently completed her degree in psychology from LMU in the spring of 2007. She was an AVCA first-team All-American, a Volleyball Magazine All-American, a three-time All-West Coast Conference first-team selection and the 1997 WCC Player of the Year. She was also a three-time All-District VIII honoree and was LMU's Female Athlete of the Year for the 1997-98 school year.
Noriega was a member of three WCC Championship teams with the Lions. In her senior season, she was named the February National Player of the Month by Volleyball Magazine. That year she posted 614 kills and led the nation with a kill average of 6.90, both of which still rank her third in LMU history. Noriega helped the Lions to their most successful season in program history in 1996, when the team advanced to the Sweet Sixteen. Playing opposite the setter, she led the Lions to a 26-3 overall record, a perfect 14-0 mark in conference play, and a WCC crown.
Before returning to LMU to complete her degree in 2007, Noriega played with USA Volleyball and the U.S. National Team. In her first season with the squad, she played in 68 games and tallied 191 kills. Then in her second year, Noriega played in 144 games and led Team USA with 409 kills, 82 blocks, and 28 service aces. The National team qualified for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, and Noriega had an impressive performance at the Summer Games, recording 185 kills and a .393 kill percentage, which ranked her fourth on the team.
Noriega still pervades the LMU career record books, ranking fourth all-time in kills (1,446), second in kill average (4.71), third in attack percentage (.319), sixth in total attempts (3,019), sixth in block average (0.97), and ninth in total blocks (298). She also still holds the NCAA record for kills in a four-game match, when she recorded 47 kills on November 7, 1997, against San Diego.
Priddy joined the U.S. Men's Volleyball Team in 2000 and was a member of the 2004 Olympic men's team that finished fourth in Athens. In 2008, the 6-5 outside hitter helped the U.S. Men qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics at the NORCECA Men's Continental Olympic Qualifier in Puerto Rico, where the U.S. Men did not lose a set. Priddy has been the team's leading scorer for the last two seasons.
At LMU, Priddy earned American Volleyball Coaches Association first-team All-America honors as a senior, and second-team All-America honors as a sophomore and junior. Priddy led the team in kills (435), kills per game (5.80) and service aces (35) in his junior campaign. Priddy's All-American selection in 1998 was the first in school history, after leading the Lions with 391 kills and 17 matches with 10-or-more kills that year.
For the complete story on the Board of Directors, please click the following link:
http://www.usavolleyball.org/VolleyballNews/news.asp?id=2158
