Three 'Berg Volleyball Players Voted to All-Region Team

The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced the release of its 2008 all-region teams and the Heidelberg College volleyball team placed three on the Great Lakes Region Team. Earning a spot on the first team was senior middle hitter Emily Hurlburt (St. Mary’s, Ohio / Memorial) and junior setter Morgan Magers (Green Springs, Ohio / Old Fort), while sophomore libero Brittany Donelan (North Olmsted, Ohio / North Olmsted) received a honorable mention nod. It is the first time since 2004 that Heidelberg has received all-region honors. All first team recipients are now eligible for All-American accolades, an honor that no player at Heidelberg has ever received.
 
Hurlburt has been a mainstay in the middle over the course of her career and has become one of the all-time leaders in kills, attack percentage and blocks. In 2008 alone, Hurlburt leads the team in kills (449), attack percentage (.371) and blocks (116). Her kills and hitting percentage all rank in the top-five in the single-season record book. Hurlburt’s career has been capped off as becoming just the fourth player at the Berg to eclipse 1,000 kills and she stands at 1,171, which is second all-time. Her all-region honor is added to her 2008 All-Ohio Athletic Conference First Team nod and her ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District IV Third Team honors.
 
Magers has been running the Heidelberg offense since joining the program in 2006. She has dished out over 1,000 assists every year and surpassed the career assist record midway through the 2008 season. She has 4,235 assists to her credit thus far in her career. This season alone she has dished out 1,378 assists, while adding 353 digs, 99 kills and 27 service aces. Magers received a nod on the All-OAC First Team this season, as well as a spot on the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District IV First Team. With her spot on the academic all-district first team, Magers is also eligible for ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America honors.
 
Donelan currently made her presence known in the back row for Heidelberg in just two seasons. In 2008 she took over the libero responsibilities and has not disappointed, earning the OAC’s Libero of the Year award, along with second team accolades. She leads the team with 810 digs, which ranks second in the single-season record book. For her career she has amassed over 1,000 digs, which marks the 11th player to do so at the Berg. Donelan has also served up 36 aces on the year. Donelan joined Magers on the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District IV First Team and will look to receive ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America honors as well.
 
Heidelberg (31-7), under the guidance of ninth-year head coach Jason Miller, is in the midst of a run through the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championships. The Berg opened up action in its second-straight trip with a 3-2 hard fought victory over no. 19 Hope College yesterday (Nov. 13) and will look for a win in the regional semifinals today (Nov. 14) against Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Heidelberg is playing in the Midwest Regional hosted by Wisconsin-Oshkosh in Oshkosh, Wisc.