Hoover Named ACC Coach-of-the-Year, While Six Tigers Earn All-ACC Accolades

Nov. 27, 2007

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Tiger volleyball Head Coach Jolene Jordan Hoover was named the 2007 ACC Coach-of-the-Year and six Clemson student-athletes were named All-ACC, as announced today by the conference office. Danielle Hepburn, Didem Ege earned first-team accolades, while Jeannette Abbott, Leslie Mansfield and Meghan Steiner were selected to the second team.

The six honorees marks the most in school history for a single season, and the three first-team selections are also a program high.

After leading her team to 28 overall wins in 2007 and a berth in the NCAA Tournament, Hoover was voted as the league’s top coach. For Hoover, the honor was her first in the ACC since 1994. In her 15th season at Clemson, Hoover led the Tigers to their best season since 1999, when they won 31 matches. Her 2007 team won eight matches more than last year’s squad, leading the ACC in hitting percentage and ranking second in the conference in opponent hitting percentage, assists, kills and digs. This year’s league title is the first for Clemson since 1997.

Hepburn, who also earned her fourth player-of-the-week honor on Tuesday, was named to the first-team for the second straight year. She is currently leading league and on pace to set a Clemson record with a .408 hitting percentage. The middle from Miami, FL boasts team highs for kills (409) and blocks (153) for the year.

Sophomore setter Kelsey Murphy, a native of New Lenox, IL, has recorded 1,347 assists in 2007 and is guiding the Clemson offense to a .279 hitting percentage that would rank first in school history. Her 12.71 assists per game average is also on pace for second-best all-time.

Classmate and libero Didem Ege was named the top defensive specialist in the league, as the native of Istanbul, Turkey boasts a 5.36 digs per game average. Ege, who was a second-team honoree last year, owns 568 defensive saves for the year to currently rank third all-time.

Abbott, an outside hitter from Downers Grove, IL, has tallied 384 kills this season with 263 digs and 56 total blocks.

The second-team honors are a first for both seniors Mansfield and Steiner. A native of St. Charles, IL, Mansfield is serving her third season as the team’s captain and has posted 276 kills, 340 digs, 71 total blocks and 23 service aces in 2007.

Steiner (Crystal Lake, IL) is battling Hepburn for the top hitting percentage in a season with a .407 figure this year. The middle hitter owns 296 kills with just 67 errors in 563 attempts, and she also ranks second on the team with 118 total blocks.

Clemson, who claimed this year’s conference title by posting a 21-1 record in league play, led all schools with the six athletes on the two nine-person teams.

Duke, who finished second in the league, placed three on the All-conference team, while Florida State and Georgia Tech each added two. Boston College, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and Wake Forest completed the teams with one selection each.

The ACC All-Freshman team, which honors six of the conference’s top first-year performers from the season, featured one athlete from each Boston College, Maryland, Miami, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.

2007 All-ACC First Team Carrie DeMange ………..Duke Mira Djuric …………..Florida State Didem Ege …………….Clemson Ali Hausfeld ………….Duke Danielle Hepburn ………Clemson Talisa Kellogg ………..Georgia Tech Sarah Kirkwood ………..Virginia Natalie Mullikin ………Wake ForestKelsey Murphy …………Clemson

2007 All-ACC Second Team Jeannette Abbott ………Clemson Jade Brown ……………Maryland Brianna Eskola ………..North Carolina Kelsey Johnson ………..Boston College Leslie Mansfield ………Clemson Rachael Moss ………….Duke Ulrike Stegemann……….Georgia Tech Meghan Steiner ………..Clemson Makini Thompson ……….Florida State

2007 ACC All-Freshmen Team Audrey Eichler………..Boston College Katie Gallagher ………Miami Kelsey Jones………….Wake Forest Michelle Kenning………Maryland Kendahl Voelker ………Virginia Felicia Willoughby ……Virginia Tech

Player of the Year Carrie DeMange, Duke

Freshman of the Year Felicia Willoughby, Virginia Tech

Coach of the Year Jolene Jordan Hoover, Clemson