Dec. 6, 2011

OXFORD, Miss. - Senior middle blocker Regina Thomas earned Division I South Team All-Region first team honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association, the organization announced on Tuesday.

It marks the second year in a row for Thomas to earn the distinction as she was one of 10 players from the Southeastern Conference named to the 14 person team, and the only player from a Western Division school to earn the honor.

Last season, Thomas was named an All-Region first team selection on the way to becoming the program's first All-America selection by the AVCA.

"I'm very excited for Regina," said Ole Miss head coach Joe Getzin. "Once again it recognizes the hard work she has put into this program. To go through what she went through for the last year coming back from a knee injury; She persevered through that and to put up the numbers she did shows the character she has and why she will be sorely missed."

The senior middle blocker from Richardson, Texas, turned in a solid season for the Rebels, returning to the court less than a year after suffering a season-ending ACL injury in 2010 that cut short her junior campaign.

Thomas hit .369 this year and posted 1.10 blocks per set. Her .369 average made her the top hitter in the Southeastern Conference in the NCAA statistical rankings at the end of the regular season for the second straight season. Her 1.10 blocks per set was second in the SEC as one of the top performers in the league. She put down 237 kills on the year 120 total blocks. The senior finished her career third all-time in blocks at Ole Miss with 383 over the last four years.

She turned in 10 matches with double-digit kills this past season, including a season-high 15 kills two times - both at home against Arkansas and No. 18 Kentucky. Thomas also put down a season-high 10.0 blocks as part of a double-double in a win over Eastern Illinois at the Magnolia Invitational as she helped her team win the tournament title for the fifth straight season.