WAYNE, Neb. --- For a second straight season, Tusculum College's Cailtyn Dean has been named to the Daktronics NCAA Division II All-American Volleyball First Team announced officials Wednesday.

Dean, a sophomore libero/defensive specialist, becomes the first volleyball player in school history to garner All-America distinction on two occasions.

After setting an NCAA Division II record last year with 845 digs, Dean led Tusculum to a third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament this season averaging 6.45 digs per set to rank third nationally. The Fort Wayne, Ind. product established a new school single-match record with 49 digs against Lincoln Memorial University.

The two-time All-South Atlantic Conference First Team and All-Region honoree is first all-time in school history with her 6.82 digs per set average, while her 1,529 total digs are the third-most ever by a Pioneer.

Tusculum ended the season with an 18-13 overall record, while advancing to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons. The Pioneers have recorded their sixth straight winning season and 22nd in the 30-year history of the Pioneer volleyball program.

The Daktronics NCAA DII All-America teams are selected by the NCAA Division II members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA). The online nomination and voting process is powered by ATHLETICSITE.COM. The team is sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition.

- TC -

2011 Daktronics NCAA Division II All-America Volleyball Team
First Team
S - Amanda Konetchy, Concordia-St. Paul
L - Caitlyn Dean, Tusculum
MH - Samantha Middleborn, Cal State-San Bernardino
MH - Danielle Selkridge, Tampa
OH - Hillary Hurley, Hawaii-Hilo
OH - Megan Carlson, Concordia-St. Paul
OH - Lunden Azuara, Southeastern Oklahoma State

Second Team
S - Liz Willis, Wingate
L - Kiara Jordan, Midwestern State
MH - Paula Harris, Central Missouri
MH - Clara Leutheuser, Hillsdale
OH - Ashlee Crowder, Hillsdale
OH - Allie Huffman, Central Missouri
OH - Kate Lange, Minnesota-Duluth

Third Team
S - Julia Bates, Central Missouri
L - Elyse Rowland, Pace
MH - Mary Groth, Southwest Minnesota State
MH - Robyn Burton, Alaska-Anchorage
OH - Bri Morley, Metro State
OH - Keidy Cadelaria, New Haven
OH - Shih Ting Chen, BYU-Hawaii

Honorable Mention: Maja Potpara, Dowling (Setter); Ngoc Phan, Metro State (Libero/Defensive Specialist); Katie Habeck, Concordia-St. Paul (Middle Blocker/Hitter); Jovana Pavlovic, Queens, N.Y. (Middle Blocker/Hitter); Eva Dupay, Tampa (Outside Hitter); Gao Xuan, Lock Haven (Pa.) (Outside Hitter); Bethany Shepard, Dowling (Outside Hitter).