Volleyball Earns Two AVCA All-American Honors
December 12, 2012 | Women's Volleyball
Dec. 12, 2012
Senior Lola Arslanbekova of Louisville was named to the AVCA All-America Second Team and senior teammate Gwen Rucker was named to the AVCA All-America Third Team as announced by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
Arslanbekova, the BIG EAST Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, led the Cardinals to BIG EAST regular season and BIG EAST tournament titles. The senior was a unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team selection for the second straight year and led the conference with 596 kills and 646 points. As of Dec. 2, she ranked fourth in the country in kills per set (4.93) and seventh in points per set (5.34). She finished her career as the all-time kills leader in Louisville history and tallied over 2,000 kills and 1,000 digs during her four-year tenure. This marks her fourth AVCA All-America laurel. She was a third team honoree as a junior and an honorable mention choice as a freshman and sophomore.
Rucker, an All-BIG EAST First Team selection, led the BIG EAST in hitting percentage (.405) and blocks (1.33 per set). As of Dec. 2, she ranked eighth nationally in hitting percentage with 282 totals kills on 555 attempts. The senior was named Most Outstanding Player of the BIG EAST Championship and set a league record in a 3-0 win against St. John's with an .867 hitting percentage. She was named an AVCA All-America Third Team selection for the first time and earned honorable mention in 2010.
