Rams trio earns AVCA All-America recognition

Dec. 18, 2013

AVCA Release
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LEXINGTON, Ky. - Sophomore Adrianna Culbert, junior Deedra Foss and senior Samantha Peters were recognized by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) on Wednesday, earning Honorable Mention All-America nods.

It marks the seventh straight season that multiple Rams have been honored by the AVCA All-America committee. The three total selections tie a program best, also occurring in 2004, 2007, 2009 and 2012. Additionally, CSU is one of 18 schools nationally to have three or more players represented among the 144 total honored.

Adrianna Culbert | SOPHOMORE | OPPOSITE HITTER| DELTON, MICH.
Culbert is one of 35 freshmen or sophomores honored, and just the second sophomore in CSU history to be recognized (Megan Plourde was named Honorable Mention All-America as a freshman, sophomore and senior, while being selected to the Third Team as a junior). Culbert averaged 2.52 kills per set on .304 hitting for the Rams' offense, while also chipping in with 2.78 digs. She was twice named the Mountain West Women's Volleyball Player of the Week, and earlier this month was named to the All-Mountain West team. She recorded 10 or more kills 15 times this season, including a season-high 23 at Denver, and reached double figures in digs on 16 occasions, including eight double-doubles.

"When you look at the numbers Dri put up, her efficiency is great," Hilbert said. "She makes good decisions, and she can do the other things, too; she plays all the way around, she passes, she serves, she can hit out of the back row."

Deedra Foss | JUNIOR | SETTER | MCKENNA, WASH.
Foss concluded her junior season with 1,282 total assists, an average of 11.76 per set. The assists-per-set average ranks 10th nationally. She is one of the most versatile setters in the nation, hitting .409 and averaging 0.82 blocks per set (both rank first among setters in the Pacific North Region), 0.29 aces per set (third), and 0.81 kills per set (third). As a team, CSU ranks sixth nationally with a .299 hitting percentage, in large part due to Foss' ability to effectively run the offense, which graduated its top three attackers from a season ago. Earlier this month she was recognized as the Mountain West Setter of the Year, her second consecutive all-conference selection. Foss will enter her senior season ranked sixth in CSU history for career assists.

"Deej distributed the ball well, and she really did a good job match-to-match figuring out who was hot and who had good matchups, and she executed," Hilbert said. "She's a quick learner, she can adjust and she's just a player. She understands the game, and she's good at all facets of it. She's a good server, she blocks well, she can defend, all that."

Samantha Peters | SENIOR | MIDDLE BLOCKER | ENGLEWOOD, COLO.
Peters, the 2013 Mountain West Women's Volleyball Player of the Year, ranks in the top 25 nationally in both blocks per set (1.42) and hitting percentage (.402).. She is one of four players in the country to average at least 1.4 blocks per set while hitting above .400, and her .402 hitting percentage ranks fifth in CSU single-season history. Additionally, Peters was one of the Rams' top attackers in 2013, averaging 2.51 kills and 3.30 points per set. Her accomplishments come during her first year starting, after recording just 26 kills over the past two seasons with the Rams.

"You look at what she did statistically, and she was a major contributor for our team in every match we played," Hilbert said. "I'm really, really impressed by her. To do that in your first year as a starter is unheard of, and it shows that she's a great player, that she was ready to make that move, and that she got better while playing under some great middles. It's a great story; it shows that you can become very good as a player coming off the bench with hard work."

CSU set a program record with a .933 winning percentage in 2013, winning its first 27 matches en route to a fifth straight Mountain West title, 19th consecutive appearance in the NCAA tournament and 28-2 overall record. The Rams have been ranked as high as No. 9 in the AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25 Poll this season, their highest since 2004.

Colorado State AVCA All-America Selections

Player	Year	Team
Adrianna Culbert	2013	HM
Deedra Foss	2013	HM
Samantha Peters	2013	HM
Dana Cranston	2012	3rd
Brieon Paige	2012	HM
Megan Plourde	2012	HM
Megan Plourde	2011	3rd
Katelyn Steffan	2011	3rd
Danielle Minch	2010	HM
Megan Plourde	2010	HM
Katelin Batten	2009	HM
Danielle Minch	2009	HM
Megan Plourde	2009	HM
Mekana Barnes	2008	HM
Ashley Fornstrom	2008	HM
Mekana Barnes	2007	3rd
Ashley Fornstrom	2007	HM
Jaime Strauss	2007	HM
Dre Downs	2005	HM
Melissa Courtney	2004	HM
Dre Downs	2004	HM
Katie Jo Shirley-Cahoon	2004	HM
Melissa Courtney	2003	HM
Katie Jo Shirley	2003	HM
Soraya Santos	2001	2nd
Angela Knopf	2001	1st
Courtney Cox	2000	2nd
Angela Knopf	2000	1st
Catie Vagneur	1999	2nd
Angie Knox	1987	2nd
Diane Saba	1987	1st
Sherri Danielson	1985	2nd
Sherri Danielson	1984	2nd

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