Dec. 7, 2010

Lexington, KY - Volleyball Head Coach Carolyn Zimmerman, and seniors Erin Saddler and Cami Croteau were honored as the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced its regional awards on Tuesday.

Zimmerman, the 2010 Big West Conference Coach of the Year, was named the AVCA West Region Coach of the Year after guiding the Titans to the first-ever Big West Conference championship and postseason appearance in the program's history. The ninth-year head coach saw her Titans set school records for wins in a season (26) as well as conference wins in a season (14) and watched them ascend to No. 24 in the nation last week prior to their first NCAA first round match against Colorado State.

Zimmerman also produced a school record four All-Big West Conference first teamers as well as the league's player of the year in Saddler. The Titans finished the year 26-6 overall and 14-2 in Big West action and fell to Rams last weekend in the first round of the NCAA Championship Tournament, 3-2.

Saddler, the Big West's Player of the Year, was the only Titans and one of four Big West volleyballers to earn a spot on the AVCA's 14-player All-West Region Team.

The 6-foot-3 outside hitter posted 483 kills and 4.31 kills per set - ranking second in the league and 17th in the nation - and was instrumental in leading the Titans to their first-ever league title and postseason appearance. Her 2010 kill totals rank her 4th all-time in the Cal State Fullerton single-season record book and her 1,501 career kills ranks her second all-time in a Titan career. Saddler tallied double digits in kills in 28 of the Titans' 32 matches and had 10 double-doubles (kills/digs) to her credit.

Defensively the senior picked up 50 total blocks (23 solos and 27 assists) and also scooped up 246 would-be kills from the back row. Saddler was a four-time Big West Player of the Week in 2010 and set a new school record for most weekly honors in a season by one individual and Titan team.

Croteau was named an AVCA All-West Region Honorable Mention following her record-breaking season that saw her become the Titans' and Big West's all-time career dig leader and Fullerton's single match and single season record holder.

Croteau, who played in every single set over her four year career with the Titans, scooped up 606 digs (5.41 digs per set) to lead the Big West the league and rank her her 20th in the nation. The 606 digs set a new school record for most digs in a single season and ranks third all-time in a Big West season. She also set the new standard for digs in a match, as on Nov. 20 at Cal State Northridge, Croteau recorded 38 digs in a four-set match to break the old mark set by former libero Vanessa Vella back in 2006 in a five-set match.

The 5-foot-6 libero/defensive specialist finishes her career with 2,194 total digs.

All Three Titans are receiving the AVCA honors for the first time in their careers. Zimmerman is the first Titan coach to receive such an honor. Saddler joins Brittany Moore (2008) and Kayla Neto (2009) as the only Titans to be named to the AVCA All-West Region team. Croteau is the only Titan with AVCA All-West Region Honorable Mention accolade.