WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (December 18, 2003) – George Mason senior outside hitter Aline Pereira and Virginia head coach Melissa Aldrich Shelton were named the 2003 VaSID University Division Player and Coach of the Year, respectively, highlighting this year’s team which was announced today. 2003 VaSID All-State University Division Volleyball Team Pereira was chosen as the state’s top player for the fourth-straight season after leading the nation with a 6.66 kills per game average, earned Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year honors for the third-straight season and was also the conference tournament MVP for the second consecutive year. Throughout the 2003 campaign, Pereira was named CAA Player of the Week three times and was named AVCA National Player of the Week after helping lead the No.2-seeded Patriots to their second-consecutive CAA Championship title with a 43-kill performance in the four-game win over No. 4-seeded Hofstra on Nov. 22. Pereira saw action in 113 games, out of a possible 117, and recorded a single-season school record 753 kills, 310 digs, 38 service aces and 32 blocks on the year. The Brazil native led the CAA all-year in kills per game average and ended the year tied for sixth in service aces (0.34 sapg). Aldrich Shelton was named Coach of the Year for the second time after guiding the Cavaliers to a 25-9 record, her third 20-win season in nine years, and an 8-8 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference. She was named Coach of the Year in 1998 after guiding the Cavaliers to a 26-8 record and its first NCAA Tournament appearance. Six different schools were represented on the two teams, led by the University of Virginia, which placed a total of three athletes on the two teams. The teams were selected by votes from Sports Information representatives from around the state. |
