Former Rim star named All-American
Congratulations go out to former Rim of the World High School volleyball standout Cassie Ells, who has earned NAIA first-team All-American honors for Concordia-Irvine.
Ells, a 5-foot-11 senior middle blocker from Crestline, recorded 256 kills and 99 total blocks for the Eagles (30-8), who advanced to the NAIA national semifinals before losing to unbeaten Fresno Pacific.
She totaled 37 kills, three solo blocks and 12 block assists in the NAIA national tournament. She had 13 kills in a quarterfinal win over Azusa Pacific.
Ells completed her four-year career as the school's all-time leader with a .390 (573-142-1106) hitting percentage, thanks to a .423 (256-55-475) clip in 2009 that would have ranked second in the NAIA if it met the eligibility requirement of five attacks per set. Ells is the first Eagles player since 1990 and only the second in school history to hit over .400 in a season.
Her 243 career blocks also is good enough for eighth on the school's career list.
About Michelle
Michelle Gardner has been a staff writer for The Sun and the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin since 2002 and has covered the local college sports scene since 2004. She ventured West after working at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale for eight years and is a graduate of the University of Florida.
E-mail Michelle here.
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