FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, November 9, 2007

CONTACT: Ted Breidenthal 816/474-7264, ext. 119 tbreidenthal@d3independents.org www.d3independents.org

 

Massa, Siller Jr. Named Association of Division III Independents

Student-Athlete of the Month Award Winners for October

 

KANSAS CITY, MO.--- Volleyball libero Lauren Massa of California State University, East Bay, and cross country runner Herrel Siller Jr. from Newbury College were named today as the recipients of the Association of Division III Independents Student-Athlete of the Month awards for October.

Massa, a freshman business major from Loveland, CO, played a solid libero for the Pioneers during the month of October as she recorded 318 digs in 40 games. She added 17 service aces. In a three-game victory over NCAA Division II Hawaii-Hilo, Massa had 37 digs. She recorded 37 and 32 digs in a pair of Pioneer wins over Menlo College.  She also had three service aces against nationally ranked LaVerne and was named to the Cal State East Bay Wild West and Juniata All-Tournament teams. During the month of October, Cal State East Bay posted a 12-2 record and is headed to the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship for the 10th consecutive year.

Siller, a junior culinary management major from Palo Alto, CA, finished the month with three first-place finishes and one second-place finish in four races.  At the October 28 AD3I Championship meet in Boston, Siller won the event with a time of 26:59.  In addition, he finished first at the Roger Williams Invitational with a time of 28:10, second at the Emmanuel Tournament with a time of 26:49, and first at the Gordon Tournament with a time of 28:10.  Siller has placed first in six of his seven races this year and finished in the top 15 at the ECAC Cross Country Championships November 3.

 The Association of Division III Independents consists of 21 Division III independent institutions that have joined together to recognize student-athletes at independent institutions, and to provide exempted postseason championship competition in nine sports in 2007-08.  The Association recognizes outstanding athletic achievements of its student-athletes on a weekly, monthly and annual basis.  The Association provides statistical services for its members in seven sports.  In addition, it also will announce All-Independent teams at the conclusion of nine sports this year. 

All competing student-athletes from the Association’s 21 members were eligible for the award.  Each school was allowed to nominate its top performing male and female student-athletes from October.  The award recipients were selected after a vote of the Association’s Student-Athlete Recognition Committee.

More information about the Association of Division III Independents is available at http://www.d3independents.org.