Kills With Character
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AZUSA, Calif. -- Junior outside hitter Jill Baker was named to the Tachikara-NAIA All-American first team for the second straight season, becoming Azusa Pacific’s first-ever 2-time first-team selection in volleyball. Nine of the 12 NAIA All-American first team honorees came from Golden State Athletic Conference volleyball programs.
Baker was also named to the Tachikara All-Tournament Team at the 2008 NAIA Volleyball National Championship, where Azusa Pacific was making its seventh national tournament appearance and its third in the past 4 seasons. Baker averaged a team-high 4.31 kills per set, tallying 56 kills in the Cougars’ 4 match-run to the playoff round, where it missed out on a quarterfinals berth after a 4-set defeat to Lubbock Christian (Texas).
Azusa Pacific was also recognized by the national tournament committee with the team Champions of Character award, signifying its representation of the NAIA’s Champions of Character initiative through the 5 core character values of respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship.
Baker led the Cougars to their second 25-win season in the past 8 seasons, leading the team in kills with 529 and ranking second in digs with 353, her third straight 500-kill, 300-dig campaign. She broke the program’s career kills record in Azusa Pacific’s regular-season finale, a 4-set win over Vanguard, shattering in less than 3 seasons the previous mark of 1,670 set by Jenna Sagehorn from 2000-03. Baker will enter her senior season with 1,728 career kills.
A 2006 NAIA All-American honorable mention and 2007 first team pick, Baker is just the third 3-time NAIA All-American in Cougar history, joining 3-time All-American Stephanie Alpenia (1980 through 1982) and 4-time All-American Jenna Sagehorn (2000 through 2003) as the only Cougars to earn 3 All-American selections.
Baker recorded double-digit kills in all but 5 of Azusa Pacific’s 36 matches in 2008, recording 20 or more kills 5 times, including a 32-kill performance in a 5-set victory over Indiana Wesleyan at the Cougar Classic on Aug. 22. She led the Golden State Athletic Conference in kills, both overall and in conference play.
In addition to the All-American recognition, Baker earned her third consecutive All-GSAC selection. She was joined on the All-GSAC team by freshman middle blocker Amy Alkazin. Alkazin, 1 of 4 freshman starters for the 2008 Cougars, ranked in the team’s top 3 in kills (237), attack percentage (.339), assists (52), aces (36) and blocks (97).
Senior right side hitter Megan Burch was named a 2008 Daktronics-NAIA Volleyball Scholar-Athlete, an award given to athletes who maintain at least a 3.50 GPA through their junior and senior seasons.
Click below for full postseason honors lists.
Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball All-Americans