Horning Picked from Area's Finest

PHILADELPHIA-- Even as Eastern University Volleyball is preparing for the 2011 season, a final honor from a fantastic 2010 season was announced today. Senior setter Maria Horning was selected as the Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Female Performer of the Year by the Philadelphia Area Sports Information Directors Association. Horning, who has twice received recognition as the top volleyball performer from the 29 area colleges and universities, was selected from an exclusive list of 13 honorees from other sports for the award. Brian Karalunas, a lacrosse player from Villanova University earned recognition as the area's top male performer. 

Horning's 2010 season was the third straight stand-out campaign. In each of her three seasons in St. Davids, she earned AVCA All-American recognition and was named Freedom Conference Player of the Year. She spent much of her junior year near the top of the nation in assists per set, and she led the Eagles to a 30-5 record and a top ten national ranking.

Horning, who holds a near-perfect GPA as an Economic Development major, became Eastern's first CoSIDA ESPN Academic All-American with a 1st Team honor. She and Field Hockey Goalie Laura Ressler became the first two Eastern University Athletes to earn 1st Team All-American honors with their stellar seasons this past fall.

Eastern Volleyball returns the core of its line-up and will be the the first team in Division III Volleyball to start a season with two three-time All Americans on the roster. Horning and fellow All-American Courtney Reinhold lead a strong senior class that is 97-12 over their first three seasons.