PAMELA CARTAGENA
5-7 • Senior • Outside Hitter
Bayamon, Puerto Rico/Thompson (Ala.) High School
General: Fifth-year player who will have to take on a strong leadership role to propel the Gorilla's success in 2009 ... A returning two-time All-America athlete who is expected to challenge for All-America honors for the Gorillas again this fall ... A three-time All-MIAA player ... A dynamic athlete with exceptional point scoring and overall ball control ... Enters the 2009 season with 1,311 career kills, good for fifth on the all-time list ... Also ranks third on the Gorilla career list for digs with 1,718.
In 2008: An AVCA third-team All-America honoree ... Earned First-team All-MIAA honors for the third consecutive season ...Led the Gorillas with 540 digs and was fourth on the team with 320 kills on the season, despite missing three matches with a high ankle sprain ... Hit at a .254 clip, averaging 2.83 kills per set ... Second on the team with 23 service aces ... Put up 43 blocks, four solo and 39 assisted ... Recorded 10 or more kills in 18 matches, including a season-high 17 kills against Central Missouri (Sept. 20) ... Tallied double digit digs in 26 matches, including 30 three times against Minnesota Moorhead (Sept. 12), Nebraska-Omaha (Oct. 24) and West Texas A&M (Nov. 21) ... Recorded her career-high in digs with 36 at Washburn (Oct. 11). Tied her career-high with five block assists at Central Missouri (Sept. 13).
In 2007: An AVCA second-team All-America honoree ... Earned first-team All-MIAA honors ... Started in 35 of 37 matches ... Second on the Gorilla squad with 432 kills (3.51 kpg) and in points with 494.5 (4.02 ppg) ... Led the team with 34 service aces ... Also productive on defense, as she was second on the team with 580 digs (4.72 dpg) and a .968 reception percentage ... Logged a season-high 24 kills in five games against Washburn (Nov. 9) ... Her season high 27 digs came in a four-game match against Texas A&M Commerce (Sept. 7) ... Tied her career high with four aces in back-to-back matches against Southwest Baptist (Oct. 5) and Saint Mary (Oct. 6) ... Recorded 23 double-doubles (kills/digs) ... A first-team All-MIAA selection ... Earned MIAA Hitter of the Week honors on August 27 after hitting .417 in the West Texas A&M Tournament.
In 2006: Started 33 of 34 matches, playing in a team-leading 132 games ... Led the MIAA in kills (559, 4.23 kpg) and ranked No. 2 in the league with 625 points (4.73 ppg) ... A first-team All-MIAA and second-team All-South Central Region selection ... Recorded the second-highest single-season kill total in school history ... Also recorded 598 digs (4.53 dpg) ... Earned MIAA Hitter of the Week honors on Oct. 30 ... Tallied 29 double-double performances (kills/digs) ... Recorded the best three-game kill total in the MIAA with 24 on two occasions, vs. No. 6 Truman (Sept. 8) and vs. Southwest Baptist (Sept. 30) ... Logged a season-high 29 digs vs. Missouri Southern (Oct. 25) ... Also had a season-best four service aces vs. Missouri Western (Oct. 31) in the MIAA Tournament.
In 2005: Redshirt season.
In High School: Led Thompson (Ala.) High School to two Alabama Elite Eight appearances ... Selected to the Alabama High School Association All-Star Team for three years ... Was selected as the Birmingham News All-Metro Player of the Year her junior season ... Earned first-team All-Metro honors her junior and senior seasons ... Led her team in kills her final three seasons ... As a junior she registered a team-leading 600 kills and 102 service aces to lead Thompson to a runner-up finish at the state championships ... A three-time All-State selection, including first-team honors her senior year ... Won the USA Volleyball Junior Olympic competition, winning the 1999 USA Junior Olympic Volleyball National Championship 14 & Under age group title with her Bayamon (P.R.) team ... Played with the Magic City Thunder Juniors, winning many regional tournaments and placing very high at National Qualifiers ... Her team also made the 2003-05 Junior Olympic National Tournaments.