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CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - University of Northern Iowa senior setter Bre Payton has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Volleyball Player of the Year for the third consecutive season, while Panther head coach Bobbi Petersen also earned MVC Volleyball Coach of the Year honors for the third straight year.

Four Panthers also earned first-team all-MVC honors in helping lead UNI to its third consecutive 18-0 league mark. Junior Amy Braun (Lakeville, Minn./North HS), senior Michelle Burow (Lincoln, Neb./Norris HS), junior Krista DeGeest (Spencer, Iowa/Spencer HS) and Payton were all named to the MVC first team.

For Braun it marks the first time she has earned first-team all-MVC accolades. Braun has played in all 112 sets this season for the Panthers and ranks fourth on the squad with 272 kills. Braun ranks second on the team in digs (407) and assists (84).

Burow earned first-team all-MVC honors for the third straight season (2009, 2010, 2011). Burow led the Panthers with 296 kills heading into the MVC Tournament. Burow ranks second on the team in hitting percentage (.327). Burow is five kills away from reaching the top-10 kills list at UNI.

For the second straight season, DeGeest earned first-team all-MVC honors. DeGeest leads the Panthers with 142 blocks. She ranks third on the team in hitting percentage (.324). DeGeest has posted 283 kills to rank No. 3 on the Panthers.

Payton earned her third straight MVC Player of the Year honors by leading the Panthers in assists with 1,201 (10.72/set). Payton also averaged 1.91 kills per set and rank first on the team in hitting percentage (.351). Payton ranks No. 3 on the Panthers in digs (322).

Petersen guided the Panthers to a 30-1 overall record, their third straight 18-0 MVC season and the 15^thMVC regular season title in school history. UNI enters the MVC Tournament riding a 21-match winning streak and ranked No. 12 in the latest MVC poll. UNI won 12 of its 18 MVC matches by 3-0 sweeps.

UNI will play the winner of the Creighton/Illinois State in the MVC semifinals on Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the McLeod Center. The 2011 MVC championship is slated for Saturday at 6:30 p.m. in the McLeod Center.

2011 MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL FIRST TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
*Name*	*School*	*Yr.*	*Pos.*	*Hometown (Previous School)*
^Emily Adney	Wichita State	Jr.	OH	Golden, Colo. (D'Evelyn)
^Megan Bober	Creighton	Jr.	S	Murdock, Neb. (Murdock-Elmwood)
Amy Braun	UNI	Jr.	OH	Lakeville, Minn. (North)
^%Michelle Burow	UNI	Sr.	MB	Lincoln, Neb. (Norris)
^Krista DeGeest	UNI	Jr.	MB	Spencer, Iowa (Spencer)
^%$Mary Elizabeth Hooper	Wichita State	Sr.	S	Plano, Texas (Plano)
LeighAnn Hranka	Illinois State	So.	MB	Rockford, Ill. (Rockford Guilford)
Julianne Mandolfo	Creighton	So.	L	Omaha, Neb. (Marian)
^%$Calli Norman	Missouri State	Sr.	MB	St. Charles, Mo. (Francis Howell Central)
^%Bre Payton	UNI	Sr.	S	Waterloo, Iowa (Columbus)
#Laurel Sanford	Creighton	Sr.	MB	Eagan, Minn. (Eagan)
Carly Thomas	Missouri State	So.	S	Swansea, Ill. (Althoff Catholic)
#Camri Zwiesler	Wichita State	Sr.	OH	Newton, Kan. (Arizona State/Newton)
^2010 First-team; #2010 Second-team; %2009 First-team; $2008 First-team; &2008 Second-team

2011 MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL SECOND TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
Name	School	Yr.	Pos.	Hometown (Previous School)
Ashley Andrade	Wichita State	So.	MB	Glendale, Ariz. (Northwest Christian)
Elizabeth Field	Wichita State	So.	MB	Windsor, Calif. (Santa Rosa)
Alysia Mayes	Southern Illinois	Jr.	MB	Ashkum, Ill. (Clifton Central)
Shannon McGlaughlin	Illinois State	So.	MB	Morton, Ill. (Morton)
#Stacy Qualizza	Indiana State	Sr.	MB	Crown Point, Ind. (Crown Point)
Karen Rivatto	Missouri State	Jr.	OH	Porto Alegre, Brazil (Northeastern JC)
#2010 Second-team

2011 MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Name	School	Pos.	Hometown (Previous School)
Olivia Brand	Missouri State	OH/RS	Springfield, Mo. (Glendale)
Kaitlin Jaeger	Missouri State	MB	Webb City, Mo. (Webb City)
Leah McNary	Creighton	OH/RS	Tarpon Springs, Fla. (Palm Harbor)
Ashley Ring	Evansville	OH	Madison, Wis. (Edgewood)
Emily Schneider	Illinois State	MB	Jacksonville, Ill. (Jacksonville)
Michelle Sicner	Creighton	S	Omaha, Neb. (Millard North)

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Bre Payton, UNI
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Camri Zwiesler, Wichita State
LIBERO OF THE YEAR: Julianne Mandolfo, Creighton
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Olivia Brand, Missouri State
COACH OF THE YEAR: Bobbi Petersen, UNI