LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The list of accolades has been many this season for Cal State San Bernardino junior All-American Samantha Middleborn.

On Wednesday, the Rialto native earned the biggest individual honor a Division II player can achieve when she was named the 2010 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Player of the Year.

“I am completely honored and humbled by earning this award,'' said Middleborn, who has led the sixth-ranked Coyotes to their third consecutive NCAA Championship appearance this week and will face three-time defending NCAA champion Concordia-St. Paul in Thursday's opening round played here at Bellarmine University. “I'm in shock because there are so many talented players who play on great teams across the country. To share this honor with my teammates is so special because they are the ones who help set things up with great passes and beautiful sets.''

This season, the 6-foot-1 inch middle blocker has led the nation in attack percentage at .485 (262 kills, 47 errors and 443 total attacks). She also is among the top blockers in the country, ranking 13th at 1.2 blocks per game. As a team, the Coyotes, who are 28-2 overall, rank second in hitting percentage (.311) and 13th in blocks per set (2.38) in the NCAA.

Middleborn's honor marks the third time a Coyote has been named the AVCA Player of the Year. She joins Kim Moronhunfola (2003) and Brianna Harris (2004).

Incidentally, Moronhunfola served as Middleborn's first club coach.

“To reach the Elite Eight, you have to have a great team with great players,'' said head coach Kim Cherniss, who has coached all three Coyote Players of the Year. “Sam is deserving of this honor and her teammates say that, too. There isn't any pettiness or jealousy.

“She works so hard and has put the time in to be an elite player. She wants to be a great player. She's come so far with a great deal of natural ability.''

In addition to being named the AVCA Division II National Player of the Year, Middleborn is a two-time AVCA All-American, earning first-team honors this season and landing a spot on the second team in 2009. Middleborn has also garnered first-team All-CCAA honors in each of her last two seasons as a Coyote as was named the 2010 CCAA Player of the Year.

The formal presentation of the 2010 AVCA Division II National Player of the Year will be made Dec. 17 in Kansas City, Mo., at the AVCA All-America/Players of the Year Banquet presented by Zamst. The banquet, which will take place at the Kansas City Convention Center, is held in conjunction with the 2010 AVCA Annual Convention.