(Posted November 25, 2009)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Juniata College junior setter Steph Strauss (Penn Hills, Pa./Penn Hills) was named the Division III Women's Volleyball recipient of the NCAA's Elite 88 award, at this past weekend's Division III Women's Volleyball Championships in Cleveland, Ohio.

The NCAA created the Elite 88 award this year to recognize the student-athlete with the highest grade points average competing in the championship round in each of the NCAA's 88 championships, across all three divisions.

Strauss, a sports management student at Juniata, was named an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Second team selection earlier this season, and earned American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Second team All-America honors. She averaged 10.33 assists per set this season, while adding 1.32 kills, 2.45 digs, and 0.42 blocks. Strauss also had 32 services aces, third-most on the team.

She averaged 11.48 assists per set over Juniata's six matches in NCAA tournament play, placing her seventh among tourney assist leaders. Strauss was one of two Juniata players named to the championship's All-Tournament Team.

Juniata recently finished the season as national runners-up with a 36-4 record. The Eagles played in the national championship match for the eighth time, capping a record-setting 29th appearance in the NCAA championship.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.