November 18, 2003
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -Illinois Wesleyan University senior Beth Crowley has been named "Player of the Year" for volleyball in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin while two of her teammates also earned all-league notice.
Senior Brette Bower joins Crowley as a first team selection and sophomore Molly May was named to the second team in voting done by league coaches.
In other league honors, IWU's Kim Nelson-Brown was chosen "Coach of the Year" and Carthage's Tiffany Thorsell was tabbed as the league's "Newcomer of the Year."
Crowley, a 5-foot-10 outside hitter from Bloomington (Normal West HS), led the league with 5.14 kills per game and was ninth in conference play with 4.95 digs per game.
A second-team all-CCIW selection last fall, Crowley is the third Illinois Wesleyan player to earn the league's top honor since play started in 1986, joining Kirstin Rajala (1989) and Kellie Schmidt (1999).
Bower, a setter from Palatine (HS), led the conference in set assists with 13.38 per game and also led the CCIW with .67 service aces per game. She was eighth in league statistics with 5.14 digs per game.
May, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter from Mt. Prospect (HS) was fourth in the conference with 1.24 blocks per game.
The Titans finished with a 26-11 overall mark and were 6-1 in winning the regular season phase of the CCIW this fall. IWU placed fourth in last weekend's conference tournament.
