Cambridge, Mass. - University at Albany's Brooke Stanley was named the America East Conference Volleyball Player and Setter of the Year, as announced by the conference office on Thursday afternoon. The Great Danes had four players named to the all-conference first team and one on the second team. Sophomore libero Laurie Gonzalez was named the league's co-defensive player of the year, while head coach MJ Engstrom earned coach of the year honors after guiding the Great Danes to their second straight undefeated conference season.

Stanley becomes just the second player in league history to earn both awards, following fellow Great Dane Blair Buchanan, who was named the America East's top player and setter for three consecutive seasons, from 2004-06. A unanimous selection for setter of the year, Stanley led the conference, averaging 10.70 assists per game, helping the Great Danes post a league-leading .250 team hitting percentage. Stanley recorded over 1,000 assists for the third straight season, and is second on UAlbany's career assists chart behind only Buchanan. She was named the conference's player of the week seven times, including six in a row.

Gonzalez earned the conference's top defensive specialist honor for the second consecutive season. The sophomore was joined by New Hampshire's Sarah Heldman as co-defensive specialist of the year. An all-conference second team selection, Gonzalez led the league and was 35th nationally in digs, averaging 4.95 per set, and was also among the league leaders in service aces. She recorded double-digit digs in 22 of 24 matches played, including a career-high 31 against Colgate.

Joining Stanley on the all-conference first team were seniors Hillary White and Valerie Sourbeer and junior Teresa Coppiellie. All three are among the conference leaders in kills, points and hitting percentage, while Coppiellie is also among the top players in digs and aces. Sourbeer paced the team this season in kills, averaging 3.13 per set. White and Coppiellie were both player of the week selections, with White garnering the honor on Oct. 16 and Coppiellie earning the next two weekly awards.

Engstrom is in her second season leading the Great Danes and has guided the team to a 22-0 record in America East play since taking over the helm last season. As head coach, Engstrom has led the team to a second straight top seeding in the America East Championship with a 10-0 regular-season record. UAlbany sits in the top ranking in five of seven statistical categories as a team and has the league's top player, setter and defensive specialist for the second consecutive season.

UAlbany (20-8, AE 10-0) will host the 2009 America East Conference Volleyball Championship, starting Friday at University Gymnasium. The Great Danes will take on fourth-seeded UMBC at 12 p.m., followed by second-seeded New Hampshire and third-seeded Binghamton at 3 p.m. The winners will play for the league title and NCAA Championship berth on Saturday at 1 p.m.

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2009 America East Volleyball All-Conference Teams

First Team: Teresa Coppiellie, OH, Jr., UAlbany; Valerie Sourbeer, OH, Jr., UAlbany; Brooke Stanley, S, Jr., UAlbany; Hillary White, MB, Sr., UAlbany; Michelle McDonough, OH, Jr., Binghamton; Lindsay Fogarty, OH, Sr., New Hampshire; Harmonie Calinda, OH, Sr., Stony Brook.

Second Team: Laurie Gonzalez, L, So., UAlbany; Anna Lejina, OH, Jr., Binghamton; Alyssa Lang, OH, So., UMBC; Kirsten Bates, RS, Sr., New Hampshire; Sara Heldman, L, Jr., New Hampshire; Ashley Headen, MB, Jr., Stony Brook; Lindsey Gorden, MB, Sr., Stony Brook.

All-Rookie: Alexandrea Roland, MB, Binghamton; Kami Nethersold, OH, Hartford; Naomi Bush, OH/RS, UMBC; Ali Loynachan, RS, UMBC; Sally Downs, RS, Stony Brook; Corinne Perry, S, Stony Brook.

Player of the Year: Brooke Stanley, UAlbany

Setter of the Year: Brooke Stanley, UAlbany

Co-Defensive Specialists of the Year: Laurie Gonzalez, UAlbany; Sara Heldman, New Hampshire

Rookie of the Year: Naomi Bush, UMBC

Coach of the Year: MJ Engstrom, UAlbany