Nov. 15, 2008

Junior Elsa LeGrand (Highlands Ranch, CA) was named to the Second Team while sophomore Jillian Hadder (Yucaipa, CA) was cited to the Third Team as the Northeast-10 Conference Volleyball All-Star teams were announced Saturday at the NE-10 Volleyball Tournament championship.

The honor marked a trifecta of sorts for LeGrand, who was named to the 2006 Second Team and the 2007 Third Team; and a double for Hadder, who was cited to the Second Team as a freshman.

LeGrand and Hadder led UMass Lowell to a 15-17 record and a 7-7 clip in the NE-10 (seventh) this season. The River Hawks ended their season on Friday night at the NE-10 Tournament with a 3-0 loss to No. 2 seed Merrimack.

LeGrand, a middle hitter who played all 125 games this season, compiled averages of 2.60 kills, 2.48 digs and a team-high 0.92 blocks per game this season, ranking among NE-10 leaders in the latter. She enjoyed season-highs of 20 kills in a 3-2 loss at New York Institute of Technology; 27 digs in a 3-2 win over Saint Rose; and nine blocks in wins over Franklin Pierce (3-1) and Saint Rose.

An outside hitter, Hadder emerged as UMass Lowell's top offensive threat for the second straight year with an average of 2.96 kills - seventh in the NE-10 - and a .231 hitting percentage. She also chipped in 1.80 digs and 0.3 blocks per game.

Hadder compiled season-highs of 21 kills in a 3-1 win over Stonehill; 13 kills three times and five blocks in a 3-1 win over the University of the Sciences.

The River Hawks return five starters and 13 of 14 players from the 2008 squad next season.