Nov. 23, 2009

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina senior libero Sarah Cline earned second-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honors as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America, the organization released today.

Cline, a Rock Hill, S.C., native, stands second in the Southeastern Conference with a 4.67 digs-per-set average. The rally-scoring era single-season record-holder with 495 digs this year, Cline is two digs away from topping Diane Denton’s 21-year-old school career record of 1,462. The senior also holds a piece of the single-match record for digs, making 36 against Arkansas on Nov. 2, 2007. A three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member, Cline made the SEC’s Community Service Team for volleyball in 2007.

Cline is one of two SEC student-athletes to make it on the three-team listing. Kentucky’s Sarah Rumely was chosen for the third team.

The senior becomes just the third Gamecock volleyball player to pick up this honor, following Lori Rowe in 1986 and Katie Gerst in 1994. Cline was the first three-time Academic All-District award winner from South Carolina volleyball. An exercise science major, Cline is scheduled to graduate in December.

The Gamecocks close out the 2009 campaign on Friday afternoon at No. 13 Florida, with match time set for 4 p.m.

2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America
Volleyball Teams – University Division

First Team
Megan Hodge, Penn State, Sr.
Jessica Boulavsky, Rice, Sr.
Molly Davis, Southeast Missouri State, Sr.
Kori Cooper, Nebraska, Sr.
Rachael Moss, Duke, Sr.
Meagan Dooley, Pittsburgh, Sr.

Second Team
Chloe Smith, Central Arkansas, Jr.
Alix Klineman, Stanford, Jr.
Elizabeth Fleming, Marshall, Jr.
Jill Collymore, Washington, Sr.
Jill Nyhof, Coastal Carolina, Sr.
Sarah Cline, South Carolina, Sr.

Third Team
Lauren Felsing, Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Sr.
Sarah Rumely, Kentucky, Sr.
Sabrina Baby, NJIT, Sr.
Caitlin Saxton, Rutgers, Jr.
JuliAnne Chisholm, Kansas State, Jr.
Angie Porche, Valparaiso, Sr.