Lincoln – A school-record five Nebraska volleyball players were honored Wednesday, as the American Volleyball Coaches Association revealed its All-America teams.

The Huskers placed five players on the teams, including first-team selection Sarah Pavan, second-team honorees Rachel Holloway, Christina Houghtelling and Tracy Stalls and third-team recipient Jordan Larson. It is the most Huskers named All-American in one season, breaking the previous mark of four set three previous times including both 2005 and 2006.

Nebraska leads the nation with 62 AVCA All-America certificates, six more than runner-up Stanford’s total of 56. Nebraska has had at least one All-American every season since 1983, a total of 26 straight seasons, including 27 in John Cook’s eight seasons as head coach.

Pavan wraps up one of college volleyball’s most decorated careers, as she was selected as a first-team AVCA All-American for the fourth straight year. She becomes the first Husker – and fourth volleyball player in NCAA history – to be a four-time, first-team selection, joining the Stanford trio of Bev Oden (1989-92), Kerri Walsh (1996-99) and Logan Tom (1999-02) in that exclusive club. This season, Pavan averaged 4.83 kills, 1.90 digs and 0.49 service aces per game in earning Big 12 Player-of-the-Year honors for the third straight year. She led the Big 12 in kills and points per game (5.73) and was among the Big 12 leaders in service aces (second) and hitting percentage (.342, 10th). Pavan totaled six double-doubles and had four matches with at least 20 kills, highlighted by a season-high 31 kills at Kansas State on Nov. 4. She finished her career with a school-record 2,008 kills, becoming only the fourth player in Big 12 history to reach that plateau, along with ranking on NU’s career top-10 list in service aces (.144, fifth) and hitting percentage (.328, eighth)

Stalls collects her second All-America certificate after enjoying one of the most prolific seasons by a middle blocker in school history. Stalls averaged 2.83 kills and a team-high 1.13 blocks per game, while ranking third nationally with a .473 hitting percentage. Stalls’ hitting percentage shattered both school (.440 by Virginia Stahr in 1989) and Big 12 (.415 by Missouri’s Nicole Wilson in 2005) records, as Stalls became only the second Husker to hit .400 or better in consecutive seasons. Stalls hit .500 or better in 14 matches this season and reached double figures in kills 12 times. She tied an NCAA record with 13 kills on 13 swings against Texas Tech on Nov. 24 and had a season-high 16 kills against fifth-ranked UCLA in the championship match of the AVCA Showcase. Stalls finished her career as one of the most prolific blockers in school history, ranking third all-time at NU in block assists (528) and fourth all-time in blocks (578).

Houghtelling returned to All-America form, as she was a second-team selection after missing all of the 2006 season following shoulder and knee surgery. The senior outside hitter averaged 3.02 kills, 3.95 digs and 0.30 service aces per game, ranking eighth in the Big 12 in digs and 10th in service aces. The Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2007, Houghtelling led all conference outside hitters in digs, as her total ranked third on the Huskers’ single-season charts. She totaled 10 double-doubles on the year, highlighted by a 14 kills on .609 hitting and 19 digs in a sweep at Oklahoma on Oct. 13. Houghtelling, who also was the AVCA National Player of the Year in 2005, finished her career with 1,009 kills to rank 19th on NU’s career list.

Holloway moves up to second-team All-America status after guiding Nebraska’s offense to one of its most prolific seasons in school history. On the season, the sophomore setter averaged 13.58 assists, 1.02 kills and 2.27 digs per game. She is ninth nationally in assists and helped the Huskers lead the nation in kills per game (17.76), rank second in assists per game (16.42) and third in hitting percentage (.327). NU broke school record in both kills and assists per game, while its team hitting percentage was its highest in 21 seasons. The Huskers hit .300 or better in 25 matches while facing one of the nation’s toughest schedules. Holloway dished out a career-high 72 assists and added a personal-best six blocks and 13 digs in the Huskers’ come-from-behind victory at No. 9 Kansas State on Nov. 3. Holloway, who has two seasons remaining, is already eighth in NU’s career assist list with 2,861, while her career average of 13.50 assists per game is the best in school history.

Larson garners her second straight AVCA All-American award, as she was chosen to the third team. The junior outside hitter averaged 3.45 kills, 3.18 digs, 0.51 aces and 0.63 blocks per game in helping the Huskers to their fourth straight regional final appearances. Larson led the Big 12 in aces per game and ranked ninth in points per game (4.39) while also serving as one of Nebraska’s primary passers. She led the Huskers with 11 double-doubles on the year, including a season-high 20 kills and 17 digs in the regional semifinal victory over No. 24 Michigan State. Larson became just the third Husker in school history to total more than 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs, and heads into her final Husker campaign on NU’s top-10 list in both aces (147, fourth) and digs (1,034, seventh) and 14th with 1,137 kills.

-- Huskers --

* indicates 2006 AVCA First-Team All-America selection
^ indicates 2005 AVCA First-Team All-America selection
# indicates 2004 AVCA First-Team All-America selection
$ indicates 2006 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection
@ indicates 2005 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection
% indicates 2004 AVCA Second-Team All-America selection
! indicates 2006 AVCA Third-Team All-America selection
+ indicates 2005 AVCA Third-Team All-America selection

2007 Division I AVCA Freshman of the Year: Juliann Faucette, Texas, OH
2007 Division I AVCA Player of the Year: Announced at AVCA All-America/Players of the Year Banquet on Dec. 14, 2007