National Champion Runner-Up- Sharks Place 2nd in National Championship

Council Bluffs, Iowa - The first loss of the season for the Miami Dade College Volleyball team came in the national championship match, as the Lady Sharks were defeated by Western Nebraska CC, 30-27, 30-24, 21-30, 30-22 Saturday night at the National Junior College Athletic Association Volleyball Championship. The Lady Sharks, 33-1 on the year, could never get their usual powerful offense on track against the big front line of WNCC, who won their first NJCAA Vollleyball Championship ever and ended their season at 57-3. Numerous blocking errors also doomed the Lady Sharks. "We never got our rhythm on offense and our front line defense failed us as well," Head Coach Kiko Benoit said. "They had an open floor for most of the night in which to place their hits and they did that very well." The Sharks had come into the final as the prohibitive favorite, as they swept through their semi-final match against Frank Phillips College of Texas while the Cougars had to go to five games to beat Salt Lake CC in their semi-final. This is the tenth time that Miami Dade College has finished as runners-up in the 34 year history of the NJCAA finals, who have also won 8 championships, most recently in 2004.

2007 State Champions!

Congratulations!

The Lady Sharks Volleyball Team are the 2007 State Champions with an undefeated record of 30-0. The Lady Sharks have also won the Atlantic District Championships to qualify them the compete in the National Tournament November 15-17. Their play has been flawless while also winning the 2007 Southern Conference Championship.
Paola Ampudia is currently the #1 Player in the State of Florida and 2007 Southern Conference Player of the Year. Ampudia, Rosa Medrano, and Deyla Caceres were named to the FCCAA All Tournament Team.

Lady Sharks Volleyball Place Six on All Conference Teams

The Miami Dade College Lady Sharks have placed six players on the FCCAA Southern Conference Teams for the 2007 Season. First Team selections included 2nd time selection Paola Ampudia (Sophomore), who was also named Conference Player of the Year, Freshman Rosa Medrano, 2nd time selection Deyla Caceres (Sophomore), Freshman Nataly Gutierrez and and Freshman Monica Dos Santos. Joined by first team selections is Liliana Berrios named to the All Conference Second Team and Head Coach Kiko Benoit with his third selection as Conference Coach of the Year for the Southern Conference in 2007.

First Team All-Conference
Paola Ampudia Rosa Medrano Deyla Caceres Nataly Gutierrez Monica Dos Santos
Second Team All-Conference Liliana Berrios		Conference Coach of the Year Coach "Kiko" Benoit