Four Named to Academic All-OAC Volleyball Teams

(AUSTINTOWN, OH)--Mount Union seniors Sarah Parker (Geneva/Geneva), Melissa Mahnke (North Royalton/North Royalton) and Nicole Baka (Streetsboro/Streetsboro) along with sophomore Julie Radigan (Olmsted Falls/Olmsted Falls) have been named Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference.

The selections were made by the conference's 10 faculty athletics representatives and in order to be selected a student-athlete must be a starter or key reserve that maintains a 3.25 cumulative grade point average and be in at least their second year of participation in the sport.

Parker has a team-best .368 hitting percentage and also tops the squad in blocks with 86 who earned All-OAC, All-Region and All-America honors.  Off the court, she has a 3.93 grade point average and will graduate in December with a degree in Business Administration and Accounting.

Mahnke became the first two-time All-American in school history this season and also was named All-OAC and All-Region.  She led the Purple Raiders in kills (3.37) and was second in digs (3.58) while finishing her career as the school’s all-time leader in kills with 1,604.

Baka was third on the team in digs (2.72) and played in 100 of the team's 104 sets this season.  She is a health and physical education major with a 3.51 grade point average.

Radigan topped the team in assists (8.50 per set) for a second straight season and is a special education major with a 3.82 grade point average.

Mount Union went 23-7 in 2009, finished second in the OAC and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.