Santos, Schmitt Named All-Americans

NORMAN, Okla - The Oklahoma volleyball program continued its record-setting season on Wednesday, as two Sooners earned AVCA All-America honors. Senior Eliane Santos was named a third team selection and fellow senior Joanna Schmitt earned honorable mention honors as the duo are only the second and third Sooners in history to receive All-America honors.

Prior to this season, the lone Sooner to earn All-America honors in the 32-year history of the program was Patrice Arrington, a 1997 honorable mention selection.

“I am so excited for these two women,” head coach Santiago Restrepo said. “They are both so deserving of this honor after all the hard work they have put into this program and they have been a huge part in this team's turnaround. We've only had one All-American in our entire school history prior to this year so this is a huge step for this program and our recruiting. I couldn't be more thrilled for these ladies.”

AVCA All-America List | Stats

Santos, the Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Year, finished her two-year career at Oklahoma as the career rally-scoring leader in solo blocks, block assists and block per game average. She led the Sooners all season with 1.57 blocks per game (second in the Big 12) while also averaging 3.11 kills per game on a .332 hitting percentage. Additionally, she recorded eight or more blocks in 10 different matches this season including a school record five solo blocks in a three-game match against Kansas State.

Schmitt was one of only four Big 12 players named to the honorable mention squad. Schmitt led the Sooners all season in kills per game and finished fourth in the conference among Big 12 players with 4.30 KPG in conference play only. The outside hitter recorded a team-best 20 double-doubles and finishes as only the fourth player in OU history and the first in rally-scoring history to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in her career.

The All-America selections are made by the AVCA Division I All-America Committee with each of the three AVCA All-America teams comprised of 12 athletes. The honorable mention squad includes 65 athletes this year.

Santos and Schmitt are two of the five seniors that are graduating this year after the Sooners recorded their best season in school history with a 28-6 overall record. Oklahoma advanced to the Sweet 16 for only the second time in program history and first time in 18 years but ended its record-breaking season with a loss to No. 4 UCLA in the Regional semifinals.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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