Dec. 19, 2000

Memphis, Tenn.-- - Senior April Harriman (Los Angeles, Calif./Brethren Christian) became just the third University of Memphis student-athlete to be named an Academic All-American when she was named to the Verizon Academic All-America Volleyball Second Team, which was voted on last week.

The senior political science and communications double major finished her Tiger Volleyball career with 1017 kills. The opposite-side converted outside hitter downed 494 kills in 2000, the fifth-highest single season mark in school history. She led Memphis with 4.08 kills and was second on the team with 379 digs this season. She was named to the all-tournament team in each of the three tournaments the Tigers played in last season, and was the tournament MVP at the College of Charleston Tournament.

Harriman was one of just two athletes from Conference USA to earn Academic All-America volleyball honors in 2000. Southern Miss' Lindsay Westendorf earned third team honors.

Harriman is just the third student-athlete in Memphis history to earn Academic All-America honors. Men's soccer midfielder Matt Briggs earned Academic All-America honors last year (1999) and women's basketball player Heather Newlon was the school's first Academic All-America honoree in 1997.

Verizon Academic All-America Volleyball Team
First Team
Kyleen Bell, Georgia Institute of Technology, Jr., Management, 3.95 GPA
Jami Coughlin, Arizona State, Jr., Education, 4.00 GPA
Michelle Green, University of Alabama, Sr., Secondary Education, 3.84 GPA
Jeanne Lambert, Coastal Carolina University, Jr., Biology/Business Management, 4.00 GPA
Tamara Luckemeyer, Texas-San Antonio, Sr. Biology, 3.90 GPA
Emily Sallee, Ball State University, Sr., Elementary Education, 3.747 GPA
Gina Schmidt, Oregon State University, Jr., Business, 4.00 GPA

Second Team
Elisabeth Bachman, UCLA, Sr., Communications Studies, 3.65 GPA
Kim Frederick, Manhattan College, Jr., Computer Science, 3.976 GPA
April Harriman, Memphis, Sr., Political Science & Communications, 3.97 GPA
Jill Levey, George Washington, Sr., Speech & Hearing Sciences, 3.80 GPA
Carla Muntz, Dayton, Sr., Pre-Medicine, 3.94 GPA
Laura Pilalowski, Nebraska, So., Advertising, 3.909 GPA

Third Team
Amanda Burbridge, Arizona State, Sr., Sociology, 3.43 GPA
Natalie Furry, Western Kentucky, Jr., Computer Information Systems, 3.905 GPA
Jill Gremmel, Texas, Sr., Elementary Education, 3.71 GPA
Krista Haukap, Southeast Missouri State, Sr., Communications Disorders, 3.67 GPA
Angela Knopf, Colorado State University, Jr., Mathematics, 3.71 GPA
Keri Nishimoto, Long Beach State, Jr., Computer Science, 3.963 GPA
Stacy Schmidt, Texas-San Antonio, Jr., Health, 3.95 GPA
Lindsay Westendorf, Southern Miss, Jr., Management Information Systems, 3.96 GPA
Beth Weynand, Texas A&M, Jr., Biomedical Science, 4.00 GPA