Sellers Caps Historic Year With NJCAA D-II First Team All-American Honors

By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information

Toledo, OH---Dakia Sellers has been named a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) D-II First Team All-American, a feat no other freshman has achieved in the history of the Express volleyball program.

Additionally, Sellers is only the sixth player to achieve NJCAA First Team All-American honors. She joins Lori Wolf (1997), Abby Thompson (1998), Erin Hiser (1999), Jaime Banners (2000) and Ashley Hill (2004).

"It was a big transition year for her from high school to college, but also from a middle hitter to an outside hitter," said Express volleyball head coach Sonny Lewis. "She worked hard at becoming a good outside hitter."

Prior to 2001, the Express competed at the NJCAA D-III level, and Sellers joins Hill as one of only two players to achieve the honor at the D-II level.

The award caps what had already been an outstanding year for Sellers.

The outside hitter was previously named First Team All-Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) and First Team All-Region XII. She was also named to the all-tournament teams at the Raider Challenge on Sept. 30, the Vincennes Invitational on Oct. 6 and the Region XII tournament. Additionally, she was named OCCAC Player of the Week on Oct. 28.

Statistically, Sellers shattered the program record for kills in a season previously held by Stephanie Champine (595, 2006). She finished the year with 618 kills, eight assists, eight aces, 122 digs, 34 solo blocks, 124 assisted blocks and 158 total blocks.

Sellers helped lead the Express volleyball team finish 37-11 overall and 12-0 in the OCCAC. The team captured the program's 13th OCCAC championship. Following the regular season, she helped lead the Express to a Region XII District E championship, which game the Express a berth in the NJCAA D-II National Tournament.

At nationals, Sellers recorded 67 kills in four matches to help the Express finish fourth. In the national quarterfinal, she recorded a season-high 27 kills to help the Express defeat Iowa Central Community College in five sets. The team finished fourth - the best in program history at the NJCAA D-II level.

For her efforts, Sellers was named to the NJCAA D-II All-Tournament Team.

"She's a very, very good offensive player - an outstanding player," Lewis said. "The success that we had as a team allowed more people to see her play, as well."