FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FELGER, KOWALSKI EARN TOP INDEPENDENT HONORS

ORANGE, Calif. – Chapman University junior MB Jill Felger was named women’s volleyball Player of the Year by the Association of Division III Independents, headlining its postseason honors. Three Panthers were named to the All-Independents first team, including freshman setter Kat Kowalski who earned Rookie of the Year honors and senior OH Nikkie Powers.

Felger, who became the first two-time All-America selection at Chapman last month, led the Panthers with a career-high 391 kills, averaging 4.39 per game. She currently ranks No. 18 in Division III and set a school-record with a .381 hitting percentage. She is sixth all-time at Chapman in kills with 870. Five times this season, the junior recorded 20 or more kills, including a school-record 29 against Claremont on Oct. 12.

Meanwhile, Kowalski is already on pace to set Chapman’s career assists mark after just one season. The freshman ranked No. 17 in Division III in assists per game with 12.3 and totaled 1,107 assists for the Panthers. She is the second Chapman freshman to earn the award.

For the second time in her career Powers was named to the All-Independent team, although this is her initial first team honor. Powers’ attack numbers rivaled Felger with 350 kills and 3.93 per game. She also ranked second on the team with 32 service aces and 298 digs. She leaves Chapman ranked fourth all-time in kills per game (3.03).

Sophomore libero Linda Ly earned honorable mention after shattering her own single-season mark with 607 digs in 2007. Ly, who was an AVCA All-West Region selection as well, also set Panthers’ career digs record with 1,129 in just her second season at Chapman.

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

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