Dec. 17, 2008

QUEENS, N.Y. - One week after being named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Northeast Region team, St. John's seniors Valeria Kovaleva, Wioleta Leszczynska and Lena Yee earned All-America honorable mention accolades for their performances during the 2008 season. The trio helped lead the Red Storm to a 22-9 overall record and capture its third-consecutive BIG EAST regular season title with a 12-2 mark in conference play.

For Kovaleva, this is the first national honor of her career. The outside hitter led the Red Storm offense and ranked sixth in the BIG EAST with 3.35 kills per set, while being equally as impressive in the backcourt with 3.30 digs per set. Her 0.38 service aces per set placed sixth among all conference players. Kovaleva was also named to the All-BIG EAST first team.

Leszczysnka earns honorable mention accolades for the third-consecutive season. Her 11.56 assists per set ranks 11th in the country and first in the BIG EAST. The setter was named the 2008 BIG EAST Player of the Year and nabbed an all-conference first team spot. The Bielsko-Biala, Poland, native leaves St. John's ranked third in the all-time record book with 4,371 assists.

The Red Storm libero from Honolulu, Hawaii, Yee was named an honorable mention for the second-straight year. In November, she was awarded the BIG EAST Libero of the Year for an unprecedented third season in a row and earned a spot on the All-BIG EAST first team. The senior ranked first on the Red Storm and third in the conference with 4.10 digs per set.

St. John's earned the No. 1 seed in the 2008 BIG EAST Championships and reached the semifinal round. Over the past six seasons, the Red Storm volleyball team has boasted one third team All-American - Hui Ping Huang - and six honorable mentions - Jackie Ahlers, Huang, Leszczynska, Latoya Blunt, Yee and Kovaleva.