Wingate’s Stormi Gale Named To ESPN Academic All-America Volleyball Team

TOWSON, Md. -- Wingate University senior middle blocker Stormi Gale (Richmond, Texas) has been named to the ESPN Academic All-America® volleyball third team (college division), selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Gale earns Academic All-America® honors for the first time in her career. She is the sixth Wingate volleyball student-athlete to receive Academic All-America® laurels. Most recently, current assistant coach Melissa DeLuca was a first team pick in 2007.

Earlier this month, Gale earned ESPN Academic All-District III volleyball first team honors for the third year in a row. District III (college division) includes all non-NCAA Division I schools (Division II, III and NAIA) in Florida, Georgia, Virginia and North and South Carolina. Gale has a 3.64 GPA; she is a Biology major in the pre-pharmacy track.

"Stormi Gale has received a number of high level athletic honors…for her to also receive this prestigious academic honor is very special," Wingate head coach Shelton Collier says. "She has exceeded in the rigorous pre-pharmacy program at Wingate.

"Stormi plans to attend pharmacy school next year," Collier says. "Obviously, she has put much effort into her academics, in addition to being an extremely successful athlete. This is quite an honor for her; we are all very proud of her."

Gale is only the second player in South Atlantic Conference history to earn league Player of the Year honors twice. The 2009 Region Player of the Year also became the first player in league history to earn first team All-American honors in 2009. The four-time first team All-SAC selection has also earned MVP honors at the Food Lion SAC Tournament twice in her career, including the 2010 tournament. The 2010 SAC tournament crown was the fifth consecutive title for the Bulldogs.

Gale leads the SAC with a .369 hitting percentage, while ranking fourth with 3.26 kills per set, third with 1.02 blocks per set and eighth with 0.28 aces per set. She has 12 double-doubles on the season and 42 in her illustrious career. Gale had double-digit kills in 20 of her 31 matches played in 2010. She has collected a career-high 292 digs this season, good for an average of 2.83 digs per set (third on the team). Her 105 blocks this year are the most since her freshman season.

Gale has left her mark all over the Wingate record books. She has 1,541 career kills, which ranks second on the all-time charts. She needs 40 more kills for the school record. Her career mark of 3.54 kills per set is a school record. Gale's 161 aces rank sixth all-time, while three more aces would put her in fourth on the all-time charts. Her 376 career block assists ranks third on the career list.

Gale and her three senior teammates have led Wingate on a remarkable stretch over the last four years, guiding the Bulldogs to their first-ever regional title last weekend in Cuddy Arena. Wingate will travel to Louisville, Ky. today (Tuesday, Nov. 30) to become the first SAC volleyball team to ever play in the Elite Eight. The 'Dogs are 31-1 overall, riding a nation's best 29-match wining streak. The .969 winning percentage leads all of Division II. Wingate's 131-7 overall record since Gale arrived on campus in 2007 is good for a .949 winning percentage, which also leads the nation.

Wingate volleyball student-athletes who have earned ESPN Academic All-America® honors include: Dr. Lindsay Hinson-Knipple (third team in 2002, first team in 2003), Rebecca Brezovec (first team in 2005 and 2006) and DeLuca (first team in 2007). Brezovec was named the Academic All-America® of the Year for volleyball in 2006. This honor is bestowed upon one student-athlete in each sport.

Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000's with 38 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate's 47 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.

The number 25 Bulldogs look to continue their success this week in the Elite Eight. Wingate will take on number nine University of Central Missouri in the national quarter-finals Thursday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. The national semifinals are Friday, Dec. 3, while the championship match is Saturday, Dec. 4. The national tournament will be held in Louisville, Ky.