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Daktronics Division II All-America Teams (.pdf)
HILLSDALE, Mich. (Dec. 4) – The California University of Pennsylvania volleyball team featured a pair of Daktronics Division II Second-Team All-Americas on Thursday in senior setter
Renata da Silva (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Colegio Ateneu) and senior outside hitter
Joanna Nist (Rockwood, Pa./Rockwood). The Vulcans are one of only four programs in the country to place at least two players on the three Daktronics All-American teams.
Nist earned Daktronics All-America honors for the second time in her career (2007 third team) while da Silva received All-America Honorable Mention last year. In addition to da Silva and Nist, senior middle hitter
Ludmila Amaral (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Afonso Schimidt) received All-America Honorable Mention in 2009.
da Silva earned second-team honors after notching American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Third-Team All-America and All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West First-Team accolades. The senior setter led the PSAC and ranked ninth in NCAA Division II with 11.49 assists per set. She also finished the year with 2.19 digs, 0.81 kills and 0.52 blocks per game. da Silva finished her career as one of the most decorated players in Cal U history, as she was a three-time AVCA All-American, four-time All-PSAC West selection and two-time PSAC Tournament MVP. The native of Brazil also shattered the all-time school record with 5,507 assists.
A three-time Daktronics Atlantic Regional Player of the Year honoree, Nist led the league and ranked among the national leaders with 3.88 kills per set. The former Rockwood standout also averaged 3.19 digs and 0.30 service aces per set. She registered 21 kill/dig double-doubles this season and was selected the PSAC West Athlete of the Year. Nist finished her career as the all-time leader in kills (1,897) service aces (180) and sets played (519).
Amaral, an AVCA and Daktronics All-American last season, ranked among the conference leaders with a .328 hitting percentage and 1.07 blocks per set. The 6-1 middle hitter also tallied 2.70 kills and 1.02 digs per set. In only two seasons with the program, she finished her career among the school leaders with 900 kills and a .378 hitting percentage.
The Vulcans, who were the only team in the PSAC to feature a Daktronics All-American, finished the 2009 campaign with a 36-6 overall record after winning their third-straight PSAC and NCAA Atlantic Regional Championships.
The All-American teams are sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition.