Nov. 5, 2009

MILWAUKEE - Lauren Felsing of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee volleyball team has earned CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V First Team honors.

Felsing carries a 3.97 grade-point average in marketing while leading the Horizon League in digs during league contests.

The senior libero, who was a CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Second Team Academic All-American a season ago, is again eligible for Academic All-America honors. That will be voted upon in the next several weeks.

Felsing's on-court resume includes All-Horizon League and Horizon League All-Tournament Team honors a year ago. Plus, she earned American Volleyball Coaches' Association honorable mention all-region recognition in 2008. She is also a five-time Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week honoree.

Felsing is up to second on UWM's all-time digs list with 1,775, with Becky Peters currently atop that list at 1,875. She also has reached double figures in digs in 43-straight regular season league contests and in 48-straight matches against league opponents overall.

In addition to her academic All-America and all-region recognition, Felsing is a two-time Horizon League All-Academic honoree, a three-time U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athlete of the Week winner and the league's scholar-athlete of the month last September.

This marks the fifth-straight year a UWM player has earned academic-all region honors. Lauren's sister, Leanne Felsing, claimed honors in 2007 while Cheryl Hegemann captured academic all-region recognition in both 2005 and 2006. Now, the younger Felsing has earned the honor for two-straight seasons.

To be eligible for Academic All-District and Academic All-America honors, student-athletes must hold at least sophomore status, own a minimum grade-point average of 3.20 and be either a starter or key reserve. District V consists of schools in Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ontario and Manitoba.

Felsing and the Panthers return to action Friday night at home against Wright State. UWM has won four-straight matches and is on the verge of clinching a spot in the upcoming Horizon League Tournament.