Thursday, November 10, 2005

By Bob Heller
USIP Sports Information Director

NEW HAVEN - The University of Sciences in Philadelphia has swept the major awards in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Volleyball All-Conference balloting, which was released today. Senior outside hitter Emily Roth has been named CACC Player of the Year and freshman libero Claire Tauschek won a very close race for the Rookie of the Year award. Furthermore, USP head coach Michael Sinesi has been named Coach of the Year. The voting was conducted by the conference’s 12 head coaches.

Roth (Dallastown HS, York, PA), who was a First Team All-CACC performer in 2003 and 2004, has been named CACC Player of the Week four times this season and has earned Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Player of the Week honors twice. The York, PA native currently leads the Devils in hitting (.338), kills (563) and kills per-game (5.12). She ranks second in the CACC in attack percentage and kills per-game and ninth in digs per-game (4.15). Her 563 kills are a USP single-season record. Furthermore, her 1,857 career digs place her 17th on the NCAA all-time Division II list. Roth currently holds 24 USP career, season and single match records.

Tauschek (Middleton HS/Verona, WI) leads the Devils in service aces (83), digs (537) and digs per-game (4.88) and ranks third in the CACC in both aces per-game (0.75) and digs per-game. Tauschek has started all 30 matches for USP and has played in all 110 games. Her 83 service aces are a single season record.

Sinesi, a native of Collingswood, NJ, who is in his fourth season at USP, led the team to a 14-8 conference mark this season to go with an 18-10 overall record. The 18 wins are a new school record, surpassing last season’s total of 17. USP is the second seed in this week’s CACC Volleyball Tournament and the Devils will be hosting the semifinals and finals this weekend at Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia.

Joining Roth and Tauschek on the CACC All-Conference Teams are teammates Michelle Hogga (St. Pius X HS/Linfield, PA) and Ladonna Landmesser (Archbishop Prendergast HS/Drexel Hill, PA). Hogga, a junior middle hitter was named as a second team selection while Landmesser, a freshman, was an honorable mention selection. Hogga leads the team in blocks with 109 and is ranked 6th in the CACC. Landmesser, the Devils setter, set a USP single season record with 1,163 assists and is second in the CACC averaging 10.57 assists/game.