UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The accolades keep piling up for the Saginaw Valley State volleyball team’s historic 2008 season as the Cardinals were ranked 24th in the nation – the first time SVSU has finished nationally ranked in university history.

The Cardinals ended the season after making it to the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament Finals against GLIAC rival Grand Valley State University.

Saginaw Valley State entered the season as the No. 5 seed in the 2008 GLIAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches’ Poll, according to the GLIAC, behind Ferris State, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan and #1 Grand Valley State.

The Cardinals defeated Northern Michigan this season winning all three matches against the Wildcats, and lost only one match to Michigan Tech and Ferris State.

SVSU capped the season with a 25-8 record overall, with senior outside hitter Sarah Redoute (Clinton Township, Mich.) earning All-American honors for her team-leading 384 kills (moving her into first place in university history with 1,281 kills for her career, besting the previous record of 1,240 set between 1992-95), averaging 3.17 kills per game, and was second on the team with 358 digs (a 2.96 per game average). She also contributed 68.0 total blocks in the 2008 campaign.

Junior setter Kait Harris (Essexville, Mich.) was honored with All-Region honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association after posting a season with a team high 1,211 assists, and 302 digs (third on the team) during the 2008 season.

Senior defensive specialist Carmen Schacher (Flint, Mich.) posted a record-breaking season with 499 digs, moving her into the record books as the all-time leader in digs for her career with 1,743, besting the previous record by 138 digs set between 1999-2002.

Head Coach Will Stanton received honors for Saginaw Valley State’s historic campaign by being named the Coach of the Year by the America Volleyball Coaches Association coaches of the Midwest.

“We earned this over the course of the season,” Stanton said. “The end of the season, finishing in the regional finals, topped it off for us.”