University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Volleyball Places Three on All-State Team
12.23.2009 | Women's Volleyball
The three Bulldogs selected were senior libero Raquel Miotto, junior outside hitter Kelsey Benorden and senior middle hitter Lauren Ficker.
The team consists of NCAA Division I student-athletes from North Carolina colleges and universities. Nominees were submitted by North Carolina sports information professionals while NCCSIA members voted for the all-state teams. The 2009 All-State volleyball team includes one setter, two outside hitters, two middle hitters/blockers, one right side hitter and one defensive specialist.
Miotto and Benorden both make their second straight appearance on the all-state team while Ficker is one of five first-time honorees. Asheville was one of two schools to have multiple players recognized as Elon had three players recognized. Campbell outside hitter Emily Werner and UNC-Chapel Hill setter Cora Harms round out the squad.
Miotto finished her career fourth all-time in Division I in digs with 2,698. She is UNC Asheville and the Big South's all-time leader in this category. Benorden led the Bulldogs in kills for the third straight year and was a first team all-conference performer. Ficker was also a first team all-conference performer for Asheville in 2009.
The trio helped lead the Bulldogs to a Big South Conference regular-season championship and a school-record 13 league victories.
Founded in 2002, NCCSIA is comprised of sports information professionals from North Carolina's NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and independent institutions for the purpose of promoting college athletics in the state. Membership is open to anyone affiliated with a college, university or conference located in North Carolina whose responsibilities include sports information.
NCCSIA selects all-state teams in the university (NCAA Division I) and college (Division II, III, NAIA, NCCAA) divisions for women's volleyball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, softball and baseball. More than 650 student-athletes have been recognized on all-state teams since 2003.
