SAN BERNARDINO -- The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) is pleased to announce for the second straight year that Coyotes senior middle blocker Samantha Middleborn has been named the 2011 AVCA Division II National Player of the Year.

In 2011, Middleborn has helped the Coyotes to a perfect 30-0 record, a school-record 30-game win streak, and an appearance in the Division II National Tournament Quarterfinals.

As the school seeks its first national title, the Coyotes and Middleborn have been consistent, never falling from the top three in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll throughout the whole regular season.

As a senior, Middleborn has seen four of the squad's six straight California College Athletic Association titles and has been part of a group of four seniors who have never lost a home match in their collegiate careers. The Coyotes captured their fourth straight West Region title this season and have made the NCAA Finals in the tournament six out of the last nine seasons.

In her four seasons at CSUSB, Middleborn has helped compile a record of 121-9 for the Coyotes, has earned three AVCA All-American honors, three All-CCAA honors, and holds the school record for career hitting percentage (.429).

She also was named Daktronics and AVCA West Region Player of the Year again in 2011 for the second consecutive season as she led all Division II players in blocks per set (1.65) after regular-season play.

Middleborn also was second in attacking percentage (.495), a number that breaks her previously owned conference and school record (.480), and sixth in the nation in points per set (5.12). She is the only player in Division II to rank in the top six in each of those categories. 

Middleborn's honor this season gives CSUSB four POY awards, with the other two belonging to Brianna Harris (2004) and Kim Morohunfola (2003).

The formal presentation of the 2011 AVCA Division II National Player of the Year will be made Dec. 16 in San Antonio at the AVCA All-America/Players of the Year Banquet presented by Zamst. The banquet is held in conjunction with the 2011 AVCA Annual Convention

Division II AVCA National Players of the Year
2011: Samantha Middleborn, Cal State San Bernardino
2010: Samantha Middleborn, Cal State San Bernardino
2009: Maggie McNamara, Concordia-St. Paul
2008: Maggie McNamara, Concordia-St. Paul
2007: Vicky Braegelmann, Minnesota Duluth
2006: Vicky Braegelmann, Minnesota Duluth; Li YiZhi, Lock Haven
2005: Erin Gudmundson, Univ. of Nebraska-Kearney
2004: Brianna Harris, Cal State San Bernardino
2003: Kim Morohunfola, Cal State San Bernardino
2002: Erin Deffenbaugh, Northern Colorado
2001: Shauna Sturm, South Dakota State
2000: Kari Peterson, Augustana (S.D.)
1999: Sarah Butler, West Texas A&M
1998: Melinda Almazan, Regis
1997: Sarah Butler, West Texas A&M
1996: Liu Jun, Northern Michigan
1995: Liu Jun, Northern Michigan
1994: Christy Wieneke, Cal State Bakersfield
1993: Stacey Metro, Northern Michigan
1992: Stacey Metro, Northern Michigan
1991: Ana Cristina Pereira, West Texas A&M
1990: Becky Belland, Central Missouri State
1989: Sheri Benson, UC Riverside
1988: Janet Cobbs, North Dakota State
1987: Angela Brinton, Cal State-Northridge
1986: Annie Kniss, UC Riverside
1985: Lynda Johnson, Portland State