NEWARK, Del. - Michelle LaLonde and Kelly Gibson will serve as captains of the University of Delaware volleyball team for the 2008 season, head coach Bonnie Kenny announced today.

The two captains were chosen in a vote by their teammates. They will both be called upon to help lead a young unit that boasts just three upperclassmen but has high goals coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance last season.

Gibson (Taos, NM/Taos - top right), the lone senior on this year’s squad, enters her final campaign as one of the most accomplished players in the Colonial Athletic Association. A perennial All-Conference selection, she has been a standout outside hitter since arriving in Newark.

In just three seasons, Gibson has already eclipsed the 1,000-kill and 1,000-dig plateaus, reaching both milestones last season. She is just the fifth player in program history to reach each of those marks.

Her 1,209 kills and 1,168 digs both rank ninth all-time at Delaware, while her 3.49 kills-per-game average stands second. A first-team All-Conference selection as a sophomore, she was also a preseason All-CAA pick last season and earned a spot on the All-Tournament team.

LaLonde (Wooster, OH/Wooster - bottom right), a junior middle hitter, has been a consistent presence at the center of Delaware’s front line during her first two seasons with the Blue Hens. An all-around talent, last year she became the first player since 2001 to post 100 kills, blocks, and digs in a single-season.

During her sophomore campaign, she led the CAA with a .315 hitting percentage and posted a team-high 28 solo blocks. In the New Orleans Tournament, she garnered the Most Valuable Player award, while she also set career-highs with 21 kills and nine blocks against Loyola and Temple, respectively.

Successful both on and off the court, LaLonde is a member of the CAA Academic Honor Roll. A biology major, she was an ESPN the Magazine/COSIDA Academic All-American nominee last season.

The Blue Hens will kick off their 2008 campaign when they trek to California to take part in the Cal State Fullerton Tournament beginning on August 29.