Nov. 21, 2003

CLEVELAND - All season long, the Cleveland State volleyball team has relied on its strength up the middle. Thursday, that excellence was rewarded by the Horizon League. Junior middle hitter Jamie Bouyer (Bedford Heights, Ohio/Chanel) was named first team all-league, while freshman Danielle Siefker (Kalida, Ohio/Kalida) earned a spot on the all-newcomer team.

Also a first team selection in 2002, Bouyer is the first Viking to be recognized by the conference twice. She ranks ninth in the nation in blocking (1.58 per game), while leading the country in total blocks (193). In the league, she stands first in hitting percentage (.370) and blocking and second in points per game (5.13). The league player of the week on Sept. 22, seven matches with 20 or more kills and on Oct. 7, became the eighth player in school history with 1,000 kills.

Siefker stepped right in at middle hitter opposite Bouyer and hit .262 while ranking sixth in the league with 1.13 blocks per game. She has six matches with double-digit kills, including a career-high 13 at UW-Milwaukee on Sept. 26, and earned all-tournament honors at the Western New York Invitational.

UW-Green Bay's Janelle Tomlinson and UW-Milwaukee's Lindsey Spoden were named co-players of the year and UW-Milwaukee's Kathy Litzau earned coach of the year honors.

Sixth-seeded Cleveland State (17-15) opens play in the Horizon League Championship today (Nov. 21) against No. 7 Illinois-Chicago (11-20) at 10:00 a.m. in Indianapolis. The winner advances to face No. 3 UW-Green Bay (20-10) in the second round at 5:00 p.m.