The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Setter Of The Year Stefanov Leads Four All-Conference Blazers
11/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 19, 2008
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- As a unit, the members of the UAB volleyball team have turned in the best regular season in program history, and, on Wednesday night, they were recognized individually with five Conference USA postseason awards.
At a banquet in Memphis, the site of this week's Conference USA Championship, Nevena Stefanov was named the C-USA Setter of the Year. Stefanov also joined teammates Ivana Bozic and Casey Dent on the All-Conference First Team, while fellow Blazer Lilly Domingos earned a spot on the All-Conference Second Team.
The four all-conference selections are the most for UAB since the inception of Conference USA, and Stefanov is the first player in program history to take home setter of the year honors.
Stefanov, who was named first team all-conference in 2007, has been tabbed the C-USA Setter of the Week twice this season and seven times in her career. Earlier this year, the senior from Belgrade, Serbia, became just the second Blazer ever to reach the 5,000-assist plateau. She owns 5,562 career assists, including 1,190 so far in 2008. Stefanov ranks 25th nationally and second among Conference USA setters with 11.02 assists per set. She has eclipsed the 50-assist mark in nine matches this season.
Bozic has been named all-conference for the third time in her career, having been voted to the first team in 2006 and the third team in 2005. As a senior in 2008, the Arandjelovac, Serbia, native leads UAB in both kills (364) and digs (366). The outside hitter has posted 16 double-doubles, been named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week three times and earned Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU.com) National Player of the Week honors on Oct. 21. Bozic ranks third in UAB history with 1,795 career kills and sixth in school annals with 1,307 career digs.
Dent, who earned second team all-conference honors a year ago, has turned in the best season of her career in 2008. She currently ranks third in Conference USA and 25th in the nation with a .383 hitting percentage. The Helena, Ala., product has tallied 297 kills with just 57 errors in 627 total attempts. Over her four years at UAB, Dent has compiled a .335 career hitting percentage to rank second in school history. Also a strong student, the middle blocker was named earlier this month to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team, as voted on by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Domingos, last year's Conference USA Newcomer of the Year, has continued her strong play as a senior in 2008. A middle blocker from Franca, Brazil, Domingos leads UAB in blocks with 1.00 per set. Domingos is also an offensive threat for the Blazers, chipping in 2.10 kills per set with a .290 hitting percentage. She has posted a career-high 16 kills twice in 2008 and a season-best eight blocks on three occasions. On Oct. 13, she was named the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week.
As a team, UAB has built a 23-5 overall record (13-3 C-USA). The Blazers have earned a first-round bye in this week's Conference USA Championship and will play Friday at 5 p.m. CT in the quarterfinals at Memphis' Elma Roane Fieldhouse. UAB will play the winner of Thursday's first-round matchup between No. 7 seed Southern Miss and No. 10 seed Marshall.
