LIVONIA, Mich. -- Madonna University senior volleyball players Natalja Tinina (Riga, Latvia/Purvciems) and Ashley Frost (Lake Odessa, Mich./Lakewood) were named to the NAIA/AVCA All-America first team in a statement released today.  The duo become the first All-America first team selections since 2002.

Frost and Tinina helped lead Madonna to a 48-2 record, with both losses coming at the NAIA National Championships, the last of which was to eventual champion California Baptist in the National Semifinals.

Frost, the team’s floor captain and setter, finished her stellar season with 2,222 assists, third on the Madonna single season list.  Frost shattered the Madonna career assist record, passing Mazie Pilut’s (1991-93) previous mark of 5,145 on September 9^th versus Daemen (NY).  She finishes her career with 6,885 helpers.  Frost was a unanimous first-team All-Conference selection this season, her third such honor, and was named Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) and NAIA Region VIII Setter-of-the-Year.

Frost was a third-team All-American selection in 2004 and honorable mention selection in 2003.  She caps her career with 12 WHAC Setter-of-the-Week honors and two National Setter-of-the-Week awards.  Frost is one of just two Americans on the 2005 All-America team.

Tinina became the most prolific outside hitter in the Madonna annals last week when she eclipsed the school record for kills with her 2,852^nd termination in NAIA pool play versus Savannah College of Art & Design.  A second team All-American in 2004, Tinina finished the 2005 campaign with 886 kills, just seven shy of the Madonna single season mark.

A finalist for NAIA National Player-of-the-Year, Tinina hit at a .420 clip and posted 481 digs, 91 blocks and 43 service aces this season. 

The WHAC and Region VIII Player-of-the-Year, Tinina was an eight time WHAC Player-of-the-Week and two time National Player-of-the-Week in her stellar career.

The first foreign born Crusader in team history, Tinina leaves Madonna with 2,950 career kills.

Joining Frost and Tinina on the 2005 All-American team are Laura Lesko (Wyandotte, Mich./Wyandotte) and Caryn Inman (Oxford, Mich./Oxford).

Lesko was named to the All-American second team after posting 571 kills on the season.  Lesko closed her career on a high note when she was named to the NAIA National Championships All-Tournament team after finishing eighth in total kills and seventh in hitting percentage at the tournament.

An honorable mention All-American in 2003, Lesko finishes her career with 2,085 kills, good for fourth all-time and is a four time All-Conference and three time All-Region selection.

Inman makes her first appearance on the All-America team as an honorable mention selection.  The junior middle hitter finished the season with 472 kills and a .457 hitting percentage.  A first-team All-Conference and All-Region selection, Inman also posted 192 blocks on the year.

Madonna finished the 2005 season with a 48-2 record and earned their ninth consecutive WHAC championship, the Region VIII title and made their third trip ever to the NAIA Final Four.  The Crusaders set a team record for consecutive match victories with 49 straight, a mark that ranks fourth in NAIA volleyball history.

Head Coach Jerry Abraham is a finalist for National Coach of the Year accolades which will be announced December 14^th at the AVCA National Convention in San Antonio, Texas.