Nov. 16, 2006
PITTSBURGH, PA - Three Duquesne volleyball players have captured a total of five Atlantic 10 post-season honors as announced by the League office. Senior Amanda Haeg (New Prague, Minn./New Prague), junior Jenni Gross (Amherst, Ohio/Amherst Steele) and freshman Chelsea Tillotson (Adrian, Mich./Tecumseh) have been selected to the All-Conference team giving Duquesne three honorees for the first time in school history. Haeg and Gross were also selected to the Academic All-Conference team.
Haeg earns her first All-Conference accolade as an honorable mention pick after leading the Dukes with 3.87 kills and ranking second with 3.53 digs per game. The outside hitter set a new Duquesne single-season record with her team-leading 470 kills this past year while adding 61 blocks. She racked up double-figure kills in 27 matches and double-digit digs in 26 contests. The two-time Atlantic 10 Player of the week concludes her career with 1,150 kills, 730 digs, 146 blocks and 26 service aces. Haeg now ranks fifth on the Duquesne career kills list and is 15th in career blocks. She also earned a spot on the Academic All-Conference team boasting a 3.61 majoring in athletic training / health management systems.
Gross also earns honorable mention All-Atlantic 10 laurels securing the Dukes' middle hitter spot. She posted a team-best 116 blocks recording 21 solo and 95 assisted rejections. Gross stands tied for fourth on both the DU single-season block assists and total blocks lists. She ranks second with 2.97 kills per game and owns a team-best .299 (356-88-897) hitting percentage. Her 179 career blocks puts her 11th on the Duquesne list and she ranks 10th in career block assists with 149. Gross was also lauded as an Academic All-Conference pick boasting a 3.63 GPA as a biology major.
Tillotson takes home All-Rookie honors with her 10.13 assist per game average. A three-time Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week, she was thrust into the starting rotation in 17 matches after a season-ending injury to setter Kristin Garnett early in the slate. She answered the call racking up 912 assists on the year in her 28 contests, which included a career-best 56 vs. UNC-Asheville and at Rhode Island. Tillotson was fourth for DU with 2.62 digs per game and added 64 kills and 11 aces.
The Dukes lose just Haeg to graduation and ended the season 11-21 overall.
