Indiana University Athletics
Benson Tabbed First Team All-America
12/15/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Dec. 15, 2010
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Senior middle blocker Ashley Benson is a First Team All-American, one of just 14 players selected by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) on Monday. Benson became the first All-American in IU Volleyball program history last season, earning a spot on the Third Team.
Official AVCA Release & Complete All-America Teams 
"I know this has been a dream season for Ashley to earn all the honors she has, but more importantly to take this program to the next level and reach the Sweet 16," said Head Coach Sherry Dunbar. "She has set a standard for IU Volleyball that will be tough to follow and admired for years to come. I feel fortunate to have coached not only such an elite player, but an extraordinary person. She will be greatly missed, but we know big things are on the horizon for Ashley and we will all enjoy watching her success in the future."
Benson, along with the rest of the 30th annual AVCA Division I All-America team members, will be presented their awards on Dec. 18 at the AVCA All-America/National Players of the Year Banquet in Kansas City, Mo., the night before the NCAA Championship match. In addition, the 2010 All-Americans will be announced to the crowd during the championship match, participate in a photo shoot, an autograph session and meet with Hugh McCutcheon, head coach of the U.S. Volleyball women's national team, and volleyball legend, Karch Kiraly.
The Bloomington, Ind., native is among the country's best in both hitting percentage and blocks per set with a top-10 ranking in both statistical categories. Benson concluded the season with a .408 hitting efficiency and a 1.40 blocks per set average, slotting her ninth and 10th, respectively, in all of Division-I volleyball.
The six-foot-three middle pulverized the IU all-time record books this season, setting new marks for career blocks, career hitting efficiency, single-season blocks and single-season hitting efficiency. Not only did Benson break a pair of career records, but she separated herself substantially from second-best. Her .339 attacking clip is 49 points higher than second place (.290) and she has distanced herself by 108 blocks with a four-year total of 629 total blocks.
Both single-season records surpassed previous records set by Benson earlier in her career.
Her dominant play also earned her unanimous All-Big Ten laurels for the second straight season. Benson cracked the conference's top-10 in multiple statistical categories, finishing:
1st with 1.40 blocks per set
2nd with a .408 hitting percentage
4th with 4.49 points per set
8th with 3.55 kills per set
In just four years leading the IU Volleyball program, Coach Dunbar has guided two Hoosiers to national recognition on three occasions. Erica Short became just the second Hoosier to earn All-America Honorable Mention honors in 2008.
Hoosiers With AVCA National Recognition:
Ashley Benson (2010), First Team All-America
Ashley Benson (2009), Third Team All-America
Erica Short (2008), All-America Honorable Mention
Karen Dunham (1985), All-America Honorable Mention
