The Ball State women's volleyball team placed a league-high four members on the 2011 All-Mid-American Conference First Team as announced today by the league office and voted on by the MAC's 12 head coaches.

Representing the Cardinals on the All-MAC First Team are senior middle blocker Kelsey Brandl (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville H.S.), senior middle blocker/right side hitter Jennifer Boyd (Evans City, Pa./Seneca Valley H.S.), junior outside hitter Kara Bates (Bradley Ill./Bradley Bourbonnais Community/Maryland) and sophomore libero Catie Fredrich (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls H.S.).

Bates picks up All-MAC First Team honors for the first time in her career after transferring to Ball State from Maryland this past fall. She has been BSU's top offensive performer in league play, racking up a 3.56 kills-per-set average to rank fifth in the conference.

Bates has blasted double-digit kills in 11 of the 16 league matches, including a career-high 20 at Western Michigan (Nov. 4). She has also collected a pair of kill/dig double-doubles, while hitting above .250 in eight matches. At the net, she ranks fourth on the squad with a 0.54 blocks-per-set average, including nine solo blocks which is one shy of the team lead.

The Ball State women's volleyball team opens play in the 2011 Mid-American Conference Tournament Friday morning as the No. 4 seed when its battles No. 5 Eastern Michigan in the 11 a.m. quarterfinal match. The match can be heard live on WCRD 91.3 FM and on the web at ballstatesports.com.

All-MAC First Team
Kara Bates, Ball State
Jennifer Boyd, Ball State
Kelsey Brandl, Ball State
Catie Fredrich, Ball State
Danielle Tonyan, Bowling Green
Kaitlyn Schultz, Central Michigan
Rachel Iaquaniello, Eastern Michigan
Ashley Mason, Eastern Michigan
Haley Stein, Eastern Michigan
Cassie Farrell, Miami
Kristin Hoffman, Northern Illinois
Mary Kurisch, Northern Illinois
Lauren Wicinski, Northern Illinois
Kelly Lamberti, Ohio
Katie Post, Ohio
Jessica Brown, Western Michigan
Terin Norris, Western Michigan
Lena Oliver, Western Michigan

All-MAC Second Team
Courtney Jarvis, Akron
Lexie Hartnett, Ohio
Sarah Angelos, Northern Illinois
Allison McGlaughlin, Northern Illinois
Kassie Kadera, Toledo
Ashley Turnage, Western Michigan

All-MAC Freshman Team
Liz Scott, Buffalo
Kaitlyn McIntyre, Central Michigan
Megan Crawshaw, Eastern Michigan
Chelsea Bilger, Ohio
Kelly Lamberti, Ohio
Terin Norris, Western Michigan

Setter of the Year - Kristin Hoffman, Northern Illinois
Defensive Player of the Year - Haley Stein, Eastern Michigan
Freshman of the Year - Terin Norris, Western Michigan
Player of the Year - Lauren Wicinski, Northern Illinois

Read the original article.