Nov. 25, 2008

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Three UC Santa Barbara women's volleyball players earned All-Big West Conference honors it was announced Tuesday. Senior outside hitter Lauren McLaughlin was awarded with her second consecutive first team honor while classmate Leigh Stephenson, a libero, was awarded with honorable mention accolades. Middle blocker Lily Lopez rounded out the honorees with her placement on the Big West All-Freshman Team.

The honor marks McLaughlin's third All-Big West award during her four-year career. She was named to the BWC All-Freshman Team following the 2005 season and has earned First Team All-Big West honors the past two seasons. The outside hitter led the Gauchos, and ranks third in the conference, with her average of 3.63 kills per set this season. She also chipped in an average of 2.60 digs per set. This season, she posted 12 double-double performances and led the team with 394.5 total points.

McLaughlin ended her career at UCSB ranked seventh on the all-time career kills list with 1,417 and ranked second for all-time career kill attempts with 4,498.

Stephenson averaged a team and league-leading 4.36 digs per set this season. The senior, who set the Big West single season digs record with 650 last season, finished her career ranked ninth in the UCSB record books for all-time career digs with 1,306.

The honorable mention nod marks the first career award for the Nipomo, Calif. native who tallied 20 or more digs on 27 occasions during her four seasons at UCSB.

Lopez becomes the 14th Gaucho in the last 10 years to be named to the Big West All-Freshman Team, joining the ranks of current teammates McLaughlin, Dana Vargas and Rebecca Saraceno.

This season, Lopez averaged 1.02 kills per set, good for fifth on the team and fourth amongst regular starters. She posted a total of 66 blocks and was second on the team with an average of 0.67 per set. Lopez also chipped in 14 service aces. The freshman finished the season ranked fifth on the team and first amongst freshmen with an average of 1.53 points per set.

The Gauchos finished the 2008 season with an 11-16 overall record and a 7-9 mark in the Big West, finishing sixth in the conference standings.

- UCSBgauchos.com -