June 26, 2009

The Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association selected the Saint Louis University volleyball team for the "All-Sports Trophy Champion" as the top 1-AAA women's volleyball program in the country in 2008-09. The plaque was presented to SLU director of athletics Chris May at last week's National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics convention in Orlando, Fla.

"For the Athletics Directors Association to select the Billiken volleyball team as the top 1-AAA program is a tremendous honor," May said. "The recognition is a testament to the hard work by head coach Anne Kordes, her staff and our volleyball student-athletes."

In 2008, the Billikens finished 29-5 overall, 13-0 in the Atlantic 10 and completed one of the best seasons in program history. SLU earned the 13th overall seed in the 2008 NCAA Tournament and ranked No. 21 in the final Bison/AVCA Coaches Top 25 Poll. The Bills also captured the program's first NCAA Tournament win last season and ranked eighth in the final RPI (ratings percentage index). The Billikens lose just one player from the 2008 squad while returning four All-Americans and five of their six starters in 2009.

Also at the convention, May was presented the awards for the sixth annual Division I-AAA ADA Basketball Scholar-Athlete teams. Kevin Lisch (Belleville, Ill. / Althoff) and Theresa Lisch (Belleville, Ill. / Althoff) were selected to the men's and women's 10-member squads, respectively. SLU was one of just two schools to have a member on both the men's and women's teams. It marks the third straight year a Billiken men's basketball player has been honored, while the women's team has had a student-athlete selected for five consecutive seasons.