Leenstra Named to USA Division III Women's Volleyball Team for Brazil Tour

By Brandon Chinn, Athletics Communications Writer

SALEM, ORE. -- After leading theBearcats with 284 kills, 829 total attacks and 3.30 kills per set during her breakout senior season in 2012, recent Willamette University graduate Madisyn Leenstra (Sr., Bellingham, WA/Sehome HS) has been selected as a member of the 2013 USA Division III Women's Volleyball Team for its upcoming tour in Brazil.

On a team consisting of 12 Division III seniors throughout the nation from the 2012 volleyball season, Leenstra is the only representative from the Northwest Conference to have been selected.

The USA Division III Volleyball All Star Team will begin its Brazil Tour 2013 in Orlando, Fla. on June 10 and run through June 19. Both the men's and women's All Star teams will depart for Sao Paulo, Brazil on June 11, and compete in double header matches from the 12-14 against selected teams throughout the region.

The teams will then travel to Rio de Janeiro for matches on the June 16 and 17 before departing on June 18.

While in Brazil the teams will experience educational,cultural and social aspects of Brazilian life through school and sports club visits. In Rio de Janeiro the team will be staying on the famous Copacabana Beach and touring the Christ Statue and Sugar Loaf, two of the most recognizable landmarks in the world.

Leenstra had a monster season for Willamette in 2012, recording double-digit kills in 14 games, including a career-high 28 kills versus Lewis & Clark College on Oct. 5. She also recorded her career high in digs (20) during that same game.

For her outstanding efforts, Leenstra became the first Bearcat in eight years to be given First Team All-Northwest Conference honors. She was also named Honorable Mention on the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-West Region Team one week later.

In her four years at Willamette, Leenstra's statistics were similarly impressive. Playing in 299 sets over the course of 94 matches, Leenstra recorded 697 kills and a .213 hitting percentage. She also totaled 316 digs and 163 blocks in her career (0.55 avg).

Leenstra was awarded All-NWC honors twice as a Bearcat. Aside from her First Team nomination this past season, she was also named Honorable Mention All-NWC in 2011.