Dec. 4, 2012

STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford freshman Inky Ajanaku and junior Carly Wopat were named to the All-Pacific Region Team when the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced its selections today. The pair was listed among the top 14 players in arguably the nation's most competitive region.

It marks the second career region honors for Wopat, who was an All-America honorable mention selection in 2011. Ajanaku is the 11th freshman in Stanford history to earn the honor, and the first since Alix Klineman in 2007. Players listed in the top 14 are now in contention to become 2012 AVCA All-Americans. Ten of the 14 players selected in the Pacific Region team hail from the Pac-12 Conference.

Ajanaku, a middle blocker from Tulsa, Okla., is one of two freshman named to the all-region team. She was an All-Pac-12 Conference selection and a member of the All-Pac-12 Freshman Team. She boasts a .376 hitting percentage, which ranks third in the Pac-12 and 27th nationally. Her 1.21 blocks per set is eighth in the conference. A two-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week (10/15 & 10/29), she has started in 24 matches for the Cardinal this season. She has hit .400 or better in 13 matches with a career high of .647 at Saint Mary's on Sept. 15. She has recorded double-digit kills in 15 matches, including a career-best 17 against UCLA on Oct. 12. Her career-high is blocks this season is 10, posted against Oregon on Oct. 5.

Wopat, a middle blocker, was one of five Cardinal players named to the All-Pac-12 Conference team. The Santa Barbara, Calif., native is second in the conference with a .400 hitting percentage, which ranks 10th nationally. She led the team and was third in the conference with 1.45 blocks per set. A two-time Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week this season, Wopat was the Stanford Invitational MVP and selected to the Nike Volleyball Big Four Classic and Chevron Rainbow Wahine Invitational all-tournament teams. She has registered double-digit kills in 17 matches and hit .400 or better in 15 this season.

Stanford, which defeated Jackson State and No. 17 Western Kentucky in the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament, has advanced to the Berkeley Regional. The second-seeded Cardinal will face the No. 15 seed Iowa State on Friday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. in Haas Pavilion. The winner of that match will face either Michigan or Michigan State in the Regional Final on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 8:30 p.m.