Photos Courtesy of Mark Campbell

RICHMOND, Va. -- The University of Delaware was well-represented on the Colonial Athletic Association Silver Anniversary Volleyball team that was announced Tuesday as current Blue Hen All-American Stephanie Barry (top right) and recent UD greats Colleen Walsh (middle) and Megan Welch (bottom) were among 25 all-time standouts recognized.

As part of its 25th Anniversary celebration in 2009-10, the CAA is recognizing Silver Anniversary teams in 21 championship sports. The teams are selected by a panel of current and former head coaches in the conference.

The volleyball team includes 14 former All-Region selections and 15 CAA Players of the Year. Delaware, which has been a league member for only eight years, was one of just three schools that had three or more players honored. George Mason led the way with six honored players followed by William & Mary (five), James Madison (four), and Delaware (three). Mason, William & Mary, and JMU have all been league members for 25 years.

Barry, a senior libero from Long Beach, Calif. (Wilson High School), was the only active player named to the 25-player list. A two-time American Volleyball Coaches Association honorable mention All-American, Barry will lead the Blue Hens once again this season as the team looks to capture its third straight CAA Tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth for head coach Bonnie Kenny. Also a two-time first team All-CAA and first team All-East selection, Barry was named the CAA Defensive Specialist of the Year in both 2007 and 2008 when she ranked among the national leaders in digs per game. A seven-time all-tournament selection and a three-time CAA Academic Honor Roll pick, she holds school records for digs in a season (831) and digs per game in a career (4.67).

One of the top scholar-athletes in any sport in UD history, Walsh led the Blue Hens to their first CAA title and an NCAA Tournament berth as a senior in 2007 when she was named the CAA Player of the Year and earned AVCA All-Region laurels. The Cleveland, Ohio native (Regina HS) was a three-time All-CAA selection, served as team captain twice, and set the school all-time record for career kills with 1,856. A two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District 2 pick, she was named the CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2007 and represented the league as its NCAA Woman of the Year nominee that same season.

One of the top setters in Delaware history, Welch was a standout for the Hens in 2004-07 and led the team to the CAA title and NCAA Tournament berth in 2007 as a senior. A native of Yorba Linda, Calif. (Esperanza HS), Welch led the CAA in assists in both 2006 and 2007 and finished her career second all-time with 4,253 assists. She was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2007 CAA Tournament and was chosen as the league’s Setter of the Year in 2007 when she also earned all-league laurels.

Joining Barry, Walsh, and Welch on the team were: Anna Agbe-Davies (William & Mary), Ajola Berisha (American), Cinta Claro (East Carolina), Mary Clare Coghlan (Towson), Lindsay Collingwood (James Madison), Elizabeth Curley (Hofstra), Virag Domokos (George Mason), Heidi Erpelding (William & Mary), Karla Gessler (James Madison), Liz Goubeaux (Towson), Allyson Halls (James Madison), Dana Jones (James Madison), Joy Kingsley-Ibeh (George Mason), Griselle Lopez Pereira (VCU), Olga Matejickova (George Mason), Jen Noble (William & Mary), Shellane Ogoshi (Hofstra), Aline Pereira (George Mason), Kirsten Schimke (William & Mary), Andrea Smith (George Mason), Jennifer Torns (William & Mary), and Jesica Umansky (George Mason).

Volleyball has been part of the CAA since its inception in 1985 and the conference has produced numerous standout performers and teams. William & Mary has captured a league-high eight CAA titles, including the first seven from 1985-91. George Mason followed by winning five consecutive conference championships from 1992-96 and added two more in 2002 and 2003. American (1997-98), James Madison (1999-2000) and Delaware (2007-08) each won CAA championships in back-to-back seasons. Towson (2004), VCU (2005) and Hofstra (2006) have earned one conference title.