November 24, 2009 - University of St. Thomas outside hitter Lauren Poe and head coach Jill Reynolds were named the 2009 Association of Independent Institutions Volleyball Player and Coach of the Year, the conference office announced on Tuesday. The conference also released the 2009 A.I.I. All-Conference Team.

A junior from Katy, Texas, Lauren Poe finished 2009 sixth in the NAIA in total service aces with 77 and was 16th in service aces per game (0.670). Poe also averaged 2.49 kills-per-game and posted an attack percentage of 0.265 on the year.

This is the second straight A.I.I. Coach of the Year award for Jill Reynolds, as the Celts won their second straight A.I.I. title under her tutelage. St. Thomas finished the season with a 23-11 record.

St. Thomas and Ohio Dominican each placed four players on the A.I.I. All-Conference Team. Here is the complete list of A.I.I. volleyball awards:

Association of Independent Institutions

Volleyball Awards

Player of the Year

Lauren Poe - University of St. Thomas

Coach of the Year

Jill Reynolds - University of St. Thomas

A.I.I. All-Conference Team

Name - School - Position - Class

Lauren Poe - St. Thomas - OH - JR

Rachel Billing - ODU - OH - JR

Heather Hardy - St. Thomas - OH - SR

Summer Hale - ODU - OH - JR

Stacy Rogg - ODU - OH - SO

Natalie Wilkening - Walla Walla - OH - SO

Tiffany Roberston - Indiana University Northwest - OH - FR

Meredith Oistad - Southwestern - S - JR

Casey Mulryan - St. Thomas - MB - JR

Shannon Nadler - ODU - MB - FR

Caitlin Forrest - Southwestern - MB - SR

Keanne Smith - St. Thomas - L - SR

Quijuana Oucharek - Walla Walla - L - SR

Shannon Pietruszka - Marygrove - L - FR