Jan. 24, 2008

SEATTLE - Three University of Washington volleyball players were named Asics/Volleyball Magazine All-Americans on Tuesday, including sophomore libero Tamari Miyashiro being named the Defensive Player of the Year.

Senior outside hitter Christal Morrison and junior middle blocker Jessica Swarbrick were both named to the second team, while Miyashiro was an honorable mention pick.

The awards mark the second All-American honors this season for all three players. In December, Morrison was named a First Team AVCA All-American, while Swarbrick was a second team pick and Miyashiro was a third team honoree.

Miyashiro earned the nation's top defensive player honor after proving herself as one of the country's best back-row defenders this year, averaging 5.65 digs per game, which was second in the Pac-10 and 32nd in the country.

Morrison earns her third-straight All-American honor from Asics/Volleyball Magazine. As a junior she was a first team pick and as a sophomore she earned honorable mention status.

Morrison leaves the UW as the school's all-time leader in kills and attacks and is easily the most decorated Husky volleyball player ever. This season she paced the Huskies in kills (4.12 kpg) and points (4.96 ppg) and hit .273 while averaging 2.61 digs per game. She finished ranked fifth in the Pac-10 in points and eighth in kills.

This is Swarbrick's first honor from Asics/Volleyball Magazine. Her .413 hitting percentage was second in the Pac-10 and ninth nationally while her average of 1.42 blocks per game was fourth in the Pac-10 and 34th-best in the nation.

The trio of players helped the Huskies to a 27-4 record and a sixth-consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament this past fall.

Postseason Honors for Miyashiro, Morrison and Swarbrick

Tamari Miyashiro

Third Team AVCA All-American

Asics/Volleyball Magazine Defensive Player of the Year

Honorable Mention Asics/Volleyball Magazine All-American

First Team AVCA All-Pacific Region

First Team All-Pac-10

Christal Morrison

First Team AVCA All-American

Second Team Asics/Volleyball Magazine All-American

First Team AVCA All-Pacific Region

First Team All-Pac-10

Pac-10 All-Academic Honorable Mention

Jessica Swarbrick

Second Team AVCA All-American

Second Team Asics/Volleyball Magazine All-American

First Team AVCA All-Pacific Region

First Team All-Pac-10

Pac-10 All-Academic Honorable Mention