Winton, Rogers, Sears Win Individual Honors

SALEM, Va. --- Randolph-Macon College won three of the four individual awards and placed four athletes between the All-ODAC first or second teams amongst the 2009 ODAC Volleyball All-Conference honors.  Junior Raena Winton was tabbed the ODAC Player of the Year, while head coach Bill Rogers was selected as the ODAC Coach of the Year.  Fellow Yellow Jacket, Jessica Sears, earned ODAC Rookie of the Year recognition.  Virginia Wesleyan College's Rebecca Bradford won the ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete Award.

Randolph-Macon was joined by Washington and Lee University with two first team honorees.  The Yellow Jackets put two more players on the second team, with Lynchburg College garnering four spots on that list.  Both teams, as well as the individual awards and ODAC Honorable Mention accolades, were announced during the ODAC Volleyball Tournament quarterfinals on Friday evening at Hollins University.

Winton flourished as a right side hitter in leading Randolph-Macon to the top seed in the ODAC tournament.  She currently leads the Yellow Jackets with 313 kills (2.98 per game) and a .326 hitting percentage.  She's also collected 50 blocks and 41 aces on the season.  She earned the first ODAC Player of the Week award, leading R-MC to six wins to open the 2009 season.  She posted 17 matches with double-digit kills, including a season-high 18 winners in a non-conference match against Salisbury University.

For Rogers, this marks his first ODAC Coach of the Year award.  In his eighth season with the program, Rogers has helped raise the level of play to its current high-point as the squad goes in search of the first ODAC title in team history.  Rogers owns a 166-82 overall record, including a 69-16 showing against ODAC foes (both through the 2009 regular season).  The Yellow Jackets are one of only two ODAC teams entering the postseason with 20 wins this season (25-6; joined by E&H), the fifth time his Jackets have won 20 or more matches in a season.

Sears proved solid on both sides of the ball in her first collegiate campaign.  She is second on the team with 222 kills (2.34 kpg) and 377 digs (3.97 dpg).  She recorded double figure kills 10 times and had 20 or more digs on five different occasions.  She had a season-high 15 kills against Salisbury, a match in which she also collected 22 digs.

Bradford adds a second straight ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete Award to the All-ODAC First Team recognition she's earned each of the past two years.  The junior outside hitter boasts a 4.0 grade point average while majoring in recreation and leisure studies.  She is a four-time member of the Virginia Wesleyan Dean's List, and was named Second Team ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2008.

Listed below are the complete 2009 All-ODAC Volleyball Teams.  For more information on ODAC volleyball, visit any of the participating schools' websites, or go to the ODAC's NEW home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Raena Winton, Randolph-Macon
COACH OF THE YEAR: Bill Rogers, Randolph-Macon
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Jessica Sears, Randolph-Macon
ODAC/FARM BUREAU SCHOLAR-ATHLETE: Rebecca Bradford, Virginia Wesleyan

ALL-ODAC FIRST TEAM
Rebecca Bradford, Jr., Virginia Wesleyan
Louise Brooks, Jr., Washington and Lee
Erika Dirnagl, Sr., Bridgewater
Rachel Fertitta, So., Emory & Henry
Jill Kubichan, Sr., Randolph-Macon
Rachael Phillips, Sr., Washington and Lee
Raena Winton, Jr., Randolph-Macon

ALL-ODAC SECOND TEAM
Michelle Boucher, Jr., Lynchburg
April Hines, Sr., Randolph-Macon
Elena Kritter, So., Lynchburg
Becca Loftis, Fr., Lynchburg
Caitlyn Long, Sr., Roanoke
Jessica Sears, Fr., Randolph-Macon
Savannah Tinsley, Sr., Lynchburg

ODAC HONORABLE MENTION
Christine Bottles, Sr., Eastern Mennonite
Tricia Davis, Sr., Bridgewater
Cameron Hill, Fr., Washington and Lee
Taylor Phillips, So., Guilford
Lindsey Spears, Jr., Virginia Wesleyan
Kristen Spinner, Jr., Randolph
Ashley Winters, Jr., Sweet Briar