Nov. 17, 2003

The Lone Star Conference champion West Texas A&M University volleyball team monopolized the LSC South Awards, claiming all three player awards, as senior setter Kendra Morgan was named Offensive Player of the Year, senior libero Kacie Hyatt earned Defensive Player of the Year honors for the third-straight year, and freshman outside hitter Ambra Clark was named Freshman of the Year.

Also earning All-LSC honors for the Lady Buffs was freshman middle blocker Megan Spivey, who received second-team kudos, while fellow freshmen, outside hitters Jessica Scherr and Rachel Altman received honorable mention accolades.

Morgan, a 5-9 setter from Amarillo, Texas, was also named to the first-team for the fourth-straight year. Already WTAMU's career assists leader, Morgan established a new LSC career assists mark this season, and also became the 12th person in NCAA-II history with 6,000 career assists. Morgan is a two-time AVCA All-American, and has six triple-doubles on the season.

This past weekend, Morgan was named LSC Tournament MVP, after leading the Lady Buffs to their fifth-consecutive LSC title. It marks the seventh-consecutive that a Lady Buff has won the LSC South Offensive Player of the Year, following Jess Anne Fernandes (2002), Jennifer Cabanilla (2001), Shannon Stroud (2000), Sarah Butler (1999, 1998 and 1997).

Hyatt, a 5-5 libero from Amarillo, Texas, claimed LSC South Defensive Player of the Year honors for the third-straight season, after setting a new WTAMU mark for digs in a single season. She was also named to the second-team, as well as the LSC All-Tournament Team. She currently has a 4.70 dpg average, which leads the LSC and ranks 27th in NCAA-II statistics. With 621 digs this season, Hyatt has moved into the Top 10 on the NCAA-II single season digs list. She also is third on WTAMU's career digs list, with 1,516 digs (3.12 dpg career average).

Clark, a 5-11 outside hitter from Amarillo, Texas, received Freshman of the Year honors after posting a team-high 501 kills (3.94 kpg), which ranks sixth in the league, and is third with a .301 hitting percentage. She posted a season-high of 23 kills on three separate occasions.

Spivey, a 6-0 freshman middle blocker from Keller, Texas, led the conference in blocks (1.16 bpg), as well as adding 2.34 kpg and is eighth in the LSC in hitting percentage (.267).

Scherr, a 5-9 freshman outside hitter and a Kingwood, Texas native, is second on the team with 3.32 kpg and 3.79 dpg, ranking sixth in the LSC in digs.

Outside hitter Altman (freshman, 5-10, Dallas, Texas), came on strong at the end of the season, as she pounded double-digit kills in seven of WTAMU's last nine matches, including a season-high 21 kills in the upset loss at the hands of Lubbock Christian. Altman finished the season with 2.51 kpg.

The Lady Buffs are 29-7 overall, entering the NCAA-II Southwest Regional Tournament Thursday, when WTAMU will meet Rockhurst at 8:30 p.m. Central Time.

-WT-