Dec. 17, 2008

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Junior Heather Brooks and senior Brianna Eskola were both named All-America honorable mention selections by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) on Wednesday. Brooks led the Tar Heels in hitting percentage on the year, while Eskola led the ACC in digs from her libero position. The duo are just the fourth and fifth AVCA All-America selections in Carolina volleyball history, joining Laura Greene (3rd, 2002), Molly Pyles (HM, 2004) and Dani Nyenhuis (HM, 2005).

Eskola finished her career with an ACC-record 2,238 digs in her four-year career including 596 in her final campaign. The Columbia Heights, Minn. native, ranked first in the ACC and 22nd in the country with her 5.05 digs per set during the season. The 5.05 per set ranks as the fourth-highest total in school single season history despite sets playing to 25 points instead of 30 in 2008.

Brooks led the Tar Heels in attack percentage, hitting a .310 clip with 207 kills an average of 1.93 per set. The East Lansing, Mich. native, also tallied 115 blocks on the year finishing in the top 10 in the ACC with 1.07 per set. Brooks moved into fifth-place on the Carolina all time blocks list with 306 in her three-year career and her 1.19 blocks per set average ranks third in school history.