Sophomore Jessica Howe Earns AVCA Third Team All-America Honors; 11th Player in School History to Achieve Honor

Denver, Colo.: Regis University sophomore outside hitter Jessica Howe was named an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-American, leading the Rangers to an improbable RMAC Championship run.  Howe, who was selected to the third team, is the Rangers first AVCA All-American since Renee Faubion was tabbed second team in 2000.

Howe is the 11th player in school history to be named to an AVCA All-America team.  She was also selected AVCA First Team All-Central Region, Second Team All-RMAC and Daktronics Second Team All-Central Region.  She was also named the MVP of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament.

"I am so excited for Jessica; and for her to embrace the change in position and really grow into it is a testament of her determination and hard work," states head coach Frank Lavrisha.  "Her outstanding play at the RMAC Tournament is when I believe that she came of age at outside."

Howe (Pueblo, Colo.) helped Regis finish on a 12-6 run and capture the RMAC Tournament Championship and a berth in the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament.  On the season she averaged a team-best 3.60 kills per set, while hitting at a .286 percent clip.  She finished second in the RMAC in kills per set and third in points averaging 4.07 points per set.  Howe finished her stellar campaign with 16 double figure kill matches in the Rangers last 18 and finished with 22 total. 

Howe had averaged 2.44 kills per set prior to her change from middle hitter to outside hitter and had only one 15-plus kill match.  After the switch she nearly doubled her output with a 4.43 kill per set average while still hitting at a respectable .277 clip.  She had 14 15-plus kill matches including six with 20-plus.

Lavrisha also states, "This is a sign of great respect not only for Jessica but for our team and our program.  All her teammates have a hand in this award and in order for her to get this award there has to be a good team around her."

Regis finished the season with a 19-12 record and captured their first RMAC crown since 1998.  The Rangers fell in the first round of the NCAA Division II Tournament to defending national champion Concordia-St. Paul last Thursday.

Click here for full AVCA release.