COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --- South Dakota School of Mines sophomore Dana Thomson was named to the Rocky Mountain All-Conference Second Team and freshman Anna Thomas earned RMAC Honorable Mention announced on Tuesday from the league office in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Thomson, a 6-foot-1-inch outside hitter from Fruita, Colorado, finished the season leading the conference in kills (459), kills per set (4.21), total points (494.5) and was third in points per set (4.54). She also had 1,290 attacks and a .231 hitting percentage. She was second on the team in digs (261) averaging 2.39 per set.  

"Dana has worked tirelessly to be one of the best outside hitters in the country," said Hardrocker volleyball head coach Lauren Torvi-Prochazka. "For two straight years she has led the RMAC in kills and kills per set over any other hitter. She has stayed in the Top 10 nationally for two years in the same statistics."

Thomson also set an RMAC record for most kills all-time in a five-set match. She recorded 35 kills during a match on Oct. 25 vs. Fort Lewis College and was named RMAC Offensive Player of the Week for her efforts.
Nationally, Thomson finished the year ranked sixth in total kills, 10^th in total attacks, 11^th in attacks per set (11.83), and 12^th in kills per set.

"This was a breakout year for Dana and she deserves to be recognized as what she is --- one of the best volleyball players in the country," Torvi-Prochazka said. "I am incredibly proud of her growth and all she has helped our team accomplish this year. She constantly plays with a chip on her shoulder and I know this will only help her continue to prove everyone wrong."

Thomas is a 5-5 defensive specialist from Fort Worth, Texas. She finished the season third in the conference for digs, collecting 575 – which also put her in the Top 30 in the NCAA. She averaged 5.64 per game which was also a Top 25 national ranking.

"Anna had a standout year as our freshmen libero. She was one of the highest performing freshmen in any position in the RMAC all year," Torvi-Prochazka said. "She is relentless in her pursuit of the ball and it was a huge key to our success as a team this year to have someone like her produce first contacts the way she did. Anna is without a doubt one of the best defenders in our conference and I know she will only get better. I am so excited for her future as a Hardrocker."
 

First Team:
Silvia Basso, RU
Kasie Gilfert, CMU
Abby Tiesman, CSM
Kristen Hornung, RU
Drew Stokes, CSM
Lauren Gammell, DSU
Megan Treanor, DSU
To'a Faleao, DSU
Alyssa Kelling, MSUD
Nikki Kennedy, RU
Avaline Lai, MSUD
Camille Smith, CMU
Izzy Gosar, RU
Caitlyn Burroway, RU
 
Second Team :
Kayla White, MSUD
Dana Thomson, SDSMT
Ashton Burditt, CSC
Amanda Donais, CSM
Grace Nelson, UCCS
Brooke Schilling, CSUP
Kelsey Green, RU
Haedyn Rhoades, BHSU
Lindsey Jin, CSM
Diamon'Nique Young, CSUP
Cali Bahnsen, CCU
Rylee Hladky, MSUD
Elle Duis, CSM
Chandler Hageman, CSC
 
Honorable Mention
Shannon Mulkey, ASU
Riley Oglevie, ASU
Sierra Ward, BHSU
Laurel Lech, BHSU
Shelby Schouten, CSC
Mariela Gonzalez, CCU
Ara Norwood, CMU
Kerstin Layman, CMU
Rose Stuewe, CSM
Maddy Wisniewski, CSUP
Jazzy Espinoza, CSUP
Jordyn Nelson, DSU
Mykenna Nelson, DSU
Bailey Longacre, FLC
Payton Harmann, FLC
Taley Ferrari, NMHU
Anna Thomas, SDSMT
Hanna Hendrickson, WCU