Hanlan Named Second Team All-SLC
11/16/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 16, 2011
FRISCO, Texas - Junior libero Madison Hanlan has been named to the all-Southland Conference second team as announced by league officials on Wednesday, marking the first time Hanlan has earned all-league recognition.
In addition to Hanlan's honors, junior middle blocker Sabrina Burns also earned an honorable mention nod.
Hanlan was awarded first-team honors after being named to the second team as a sophomore. She finished the regular season ranked third in the Southland with a 5.03 digs-per-set average, and has increased her average in each of her first three seasons. The Arlington, Texas, native went over 30 digs in a match three times this year, including a career-best 35 in a five-set win over UAB.
Despite recently going down with a shoulder injury late in the season vs UTSA, she still managed this year to become just the fourth Ladyjack in history to surpass the 1,500-dig mark for her career and will likely move into second place all-time at SFA in digs as a senior, trailing only former all-America libero Stephanie Figgers.
"I'm happy for Madison," SFA head coach Debbie Humphreys said. "She had a solid season, but unfortunately it ended before the rest of ours did. She is still an important part of what we are doing and it is nice to see her recognized by those in the league. That goes as well for Sabrina, especially with the way that she works. She comes to the gym every day the same way, which is ready to learn and improve."
Burns experienced a breakout season, leading the team with a career-best .254 attack percentage and averaged 1.88 kills per set for the year from her middle blocker post; however, her defensive play at the net as cemented herself as one of the top middle blockers in the league.
The 6-2 junior from McAlester, Okla., will enter this weekend's SLC Tournament averaging a solid 1.08 blocks per set for the year, but upped her production to 1.37 blocks per set in 16 league matches, which was second among all SLC players in league-only play. She has registered multiple blocks in 29 of 31 matches, including tying a career high with 10 in a five-set comeback win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
The Ladyjacks will open up the Southland Conference Tournament on Friday at 11:00 a.m. as the No. 7 seed against the No. 2 seed, UTSA, at the Farris Center in Conway, Ark.
-SFA-
