Dec. 14, 2016 LMU Volleyball on Facebook | | LMU Volleyball on Instagram
AVCA All-America Teams
Junior Sarah Sponcil earned AVCA honorable mention All-American honors for the second consecutive year, it was announced by the AVCA on Wednesday. Sponcil's honorable mention All-American selection is the fourth in the last three years for LMU, as Hannah Tedrow and Litara Keil earned nods two years ago.
The native of Phoenix, Ariz. becomes the first Lion since Kelli Nerison to post two All-American selections in her career, as Nerison earned honorable mention accolades in 2003 and 2004.
Sponcil, an AVCA All-Region selection earlier this year, recently became the first Lion to earn WCC Defensive Player of the Year honors since Betsi Metter accomplished the feat in 2011, 2012 and 2013. A first team All-WCC selection this year, the versatile six-rotation player led the team in kills with 402, averaging 3.65 per set. She also tied for the team lead in aces with 26, and was second on the team in digs with 328 (2.98 per set). Collecting a double-double in more than half of her matches this year, she finished the 2016 campaign with 16, including posting double-digit kills in all but five matches. The Pioneer Classic MVP following a tournament at Denver, she also took home MVP at the Flyer Classic in Dayton before being named WCC Player of the Week on 9/19 for her efforts at that tournament. Listed on ESPNW's 2016 Top-12 Players to Watch list, Sponcil boasted 15+ kills in 12 of her 30 matches this year, and managed 20 double-digit dig nights overall.
With the indoor season now in the books, LMU and Sponcil will turn their attention to beach volleyball and the second year within the West Coast Conference structure.
