FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
S-063-07-08
Friday, January 11, 2008

Kelly Downs and Erin Fisher Named MASCAC Scholar-Athletes

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. --- Elizabethtown College volleyball standout Kelly Downs (Airville, PA/Red Lion) and women's cross country All-American Erin Fisher (McEwensville, PA/Warrior Run) have been recognized by the Middle Atlantic States Collegiate AthleticCorporation (MASCAC) as Scholar-Athletes for the 2007 fall sportsseason, the conference office announced Friday.

Both Downs and Fisher wererecognized as conference Player of the Year as they led theirrespective squads to conference titles and qualification in the NCAADivision III championships.

Downs , theAcademic All-American of the Year in volleyball, was an honorablemention All-America selection by the American Volleyball CoachesAssociation (AVCA), a member of the AVCA All-Mid-Atlantic Region teamand the Commonwealth Conference Player of the Year as well as afirst-team Academic All-District selection.

Shefinished the season with a school-record 511 kills and led theconference in kills, hitting percentage (.378) and blocks (181). Afour-time All-Conference selection, she finished her career asElizabethtown's all-time leader with 1,532 kills and 585 blocks.

Academically, Downs has a 4.00 cumulative grade-point average as an occupational therapy major at Elizabethtown.

Fisher finished15th at the NCAA Division III Cross Country championships to earnAll-America honors, and was honored by the U.S. Track & Field andCross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as the Mideast RegionAthlete of the Year in women's cross country after winning the NCAAMideast Regional title and her second straight MAC individualchampionship.

In seven races this season, Fisher recorded three wins and three second-place finishes while leading theBlue Jays to their first MAC team title since 2004, a fourth-placefinish at the Mideast Regional meet and a 23rd-place finish at the NCAAchampionships.

Academically, Fisher maintains a 3.98 cumulative grade-point average as a double major in biology and mathematics.

TheMASCAC recognizes Scholar-Athletes in each of the eight fall sportssponsored by the conference, with the conference Awards Committeegiving equal consideration to academic record and athletic prowess.