SAVANNAH, Ga. --- Tusculum College's Caitlyn Dean has been named to the 2011 Daktronics NCAA Division II All-Southeast Region Volleyball First Team.

Dean, a sophomore libero/defensive specialist from Fort Wayne, Ind., earns All-Region First Team honors for a second straight year.

The 2010 Daktronics First Team All-American has led Tusculum's defensive efforts, averaging 6.49 digs per set, which is currently third nationally. Dean has accounted for 668 digs this season, which are the second most in school history, behind only the NCAA II single-season record 845 she posted last year. The two-time All-South Atlantic Conference First Team honoree is first all-time in school history with her 6.82 digs per set average, while her 1,513 total digs are the third-most ever by a Pioneer.

Tusculum is the sixth-seed at this weekend's NCAA II Southeast Regional in Wingate, N.C. The Pioneers will open regional action on Friday at noon as they face third-seeded and 21st-nationally ranked Armstrong (35-2). Tusculum has advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of the last three seasons and has already clinched the program's sixth straight winning season and 22nd in the 30-year history of the Pioneer volleyball program.

Members of the first team are now eligible for Daktronics NCAA Division II All-America honors. The Daktronics NCAA DII teams are voted on by the NCAA Division II members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA) from the Southeast Region, which is comprised of schools from Conference Carolinas, the South Atlantic Conference and the Peach Belt Conference. 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.

- NCAA -

2011 Daktronics NCAA Division II All-Southeast Region Volleyball Team
First Team
Pos. Name School Yr. Hometown
RS Anna Hilton Wingate So. Hickory, N.C.
OH Dianna Craine Flagler Jr. Oshawa, Ontario
RS Brendyce Budd Armstrong Sr. Page, Ariz.
MH Brittany Wolf Armstrong Jr. Bethlehem, Ga.
MH Crystal Niederriter Flagler Jr. Merritt Island, Fla.
S # Liz Willis Wingate Sr. Raleigh, N.C.
L/DS * Caitlyn Dean Tusculum So. Fort Wayne, Ind.

2011 Southeast Region Player of the Year: Liz Willis, Sr., Raleigh, N.C.

Second Team
Pos. Name School Yr. Hometown
OH Cory McGowan Wingate So. Pittsburgh, Pa.
OH Jessica Santaniello Armstrong So. Boca Raton, Fla.
OH Taylor Clendenin Lees-McRae Jr. Statesville, N.C.
MH Nikki James Carson-Newman Sr. Cookeville, Tenn.
MH Blaire Fowler Lincoln Memorial Jr. Fort Worth, Texas
MH Manyi Ati Montevallo So. Lawrenceville, Ga.
S Olivia Snipes Flagler Sr. Easley, S.C.
L/DS Casey Gnann Flagler Jr. Boca Raton, Fla.

* - 2010 Daktronics All-Southeast Region First Team
# - 2009 Daktronics All-Southeast Region Second Team