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By Earl Zukerman, McGill & Mylène Vézina, QSSF

MONTREAL – Three members of the McGill Martlets – Jennifer Thomson of Rosemere, Que., Kelsey Irwin of Vancouver, B.C., and Amélie Trottier-Picard of Longueuil, Que., – are among the women’s volleyball all-stars announced Thursday by the Quebec Student Sports Federation.

Thomson, a 5-foot-7 senior power-hitter, was selected to the first team for the fourth straight year, while Irwin, a junior middle blocker and Trottier-Picard, a sophomore setter, each made the second squad.

Other honorees on the first team include conference MVP Laetitia Tchoualack from the first-place Montreal Carabins, Nadine Alphonse (Carabins), Julie Rodrigue (Laval), Mélanie Savoie (Laval) and Renée-Claude Chevarie (Sherbrooke).

Alphonse also won the Thérèse-Quigley award nomination for best combining athletics with academics and citizenship. Laval’s Sarah Létourneau-Lévesque of Port-Cartier, Que., was named rookie of the year and Rouge et Or teammate Catherine Marois-Julien of Quebec City earned libero-of-the-year honours. Montreal's Olivier Trudel was named coach of the year.

Rounding out the second team was Alexandra Lojen (Montreal), Stéphanie Larrivée-Vanier (Sherbrooke), Marie-Pier Murray Méthot (Montreal) and Catherine Marois-Julien (Laval).

2008-09 QSSF VOLLEYBALL FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS
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Position, Name, University, Academic Program, Hometown

Power-hitter: Laetitia Tchoualack, Montréal, maîtrise en management, Paris, France

Centre: Nadine Alphonse, Montréal, physical & health education, Montréal, Que.

Centre: Julie Rodrigue, Laval, industrial relations, St. Georges de Beauce, Que.

Power-hitter: Jennifer Thomson, McGill, physical education, Rosemère, Que.

Power-hitter: Mélanie Savoie, Laval, Elementary Education, St. Sylvestre, Que.

Power-hitter: Renée-Claude Chevarie, Sherbrooke, Education, Lac-au-Saumon, Que.

MAJOR AWARD WINNERS:
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PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Laetitia Tchoualack, Montreal (Paris, France)

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:
Sarah Létourneau-Lévesque, Laval (Port-Cartier, Que.)

LIBERO OF THE YEAR:
Catherine Marois-Julien, Laval (Québec City, Que)

ATHLETICS / ACADEMICS / CITIZENSHIP:
Nadine Alphonse, Montreal (Montréal, Que)

COACH OF THE YEAR:
Olivier Trudel, Montreal


SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS
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Position, Name, University, Academic Program, Hometown

Centre: Kelsey Irwin, McGill, Political Science & Sociology, Vancouver, B.C.

Setter: Alexandra Lojen, Montréal, law, Montréal, Que.

Power-hitter: Stéphanie Larrivée-Vanier, Sherbrooke, biochemistry, Sherbrooke, Que.

Power-hitter: Marie-Pier Murray Méthot, Montréal, chemistry (master ‘s), Baie-Comeau, Que.

Setter, Amélie Trottier-Picard, McGill, Environmental Agriculture, Longueuil, Que.

Libéro, Catherine Marois-Julien, Laval, physiotherapy, Québec City, Que.