YANKTON - In an era where many volleyball players only play half of the time, a host of players who almost never come off the floor were recognized for their efforts by the South Dakota Volleyball Coaches Association.

Of the seven players named to the Class A all-state first team, five play all the way around: Milbanks Leah Anderson and Sami Nygaard, Sioux Valleys Brittany Bjorklund, Millers Kate Lingscheit and Harrisburgs Allison Vos. The sixth, Wagner libero Mary Kocer, also seldom leaves the floor. Sioux Falls Christian middle hitter Suzy Ledeboer rounds out the squad.

"Its becoming a rarity," said Harrisburg coach Ronette Costain of players being on the court for the full game. "You see a lot more specialization."

Part of that specialization has come because of the libero, a back-row specialist who can be substituted at will. The SDVBCA recognized one libero on its all-state team, Kocer of the state champion Red Raiders.

The presence Kocer provided on the floor was key to the Red Raiders run, according to Wagner head coach Amy Tyler.

"Our team wouldn't be the same without her communicating and moving on the floor," she said of Kocer, who led Class A with 6.7 digs per game, a total of 554 on the season.

Kocer was a second-team selection a year ago.

Milbank, which finished fifth in the state tournament, was the lone team with two representatives on the first team, senior middle/outside hitter Anderson and junior setter Nygaard. Anderson averaged 4.48 kills, 2.92 digs and 0.63 blocks per game in her final season for the Bulldogs. The 6-footer will head to Northern State University next fall.

"Leah hits the ball hard. She can hit from the left and middle, and can do some quick-attacks and slides, which makes her more unpredictable," said Milbank head coach Nancy Hoeke. "She has proven herself as an all-around player. She can read hitters well, sees the hit coming and can get in position for the dig."

A third-year starter, Nygaard has continued to progress as the quarterback of the Bulldog attack. A second team selection a year ago, she posted 9.43 assists per game, averaged 3.48 digs and finished with 30 ace serves.

"She has such a great court sense, an awareness of things, something you just can't teach as a coach," Hoeke said. "Ill be thinking that we need to switch things up, go to another hitter, and she does it on her own. It's so fun, so awesome to have someone with that ability."

Vos, a senior who earned second-team honors a year ago, provided the Tigers a key weapon on the outside as well as a vital passer in the back row. The veteran averaged 4.3 kills and 4.5 digs per game. Vos is also a talented jump-server, recording 63 ace serves on the season.

"Alli has a great all-around game and the mentality of a competitor. She's just a great player," Costain noted. "As a hitter, she sees the court well and is able to hit around blockers. She's also led us in digs the last three or four years."

Lingscheit not only gave the Rustlers a 6-foot wall at the net, she provided a solid passer in the back row. She averaged 3.5 kills, 2.6 digs and 1.3 blocks per game for the squad, which finished third at state.

"She is a very versatile hitter who can attack out of the middle, outside and back row," noted Miller head coach Linda DeBoer. "She also knows what shes doing in the back row. She is as comfortable back there as she is in front."

Bjorklund learned the game watching her father, volleyball official Gene Bjorklund, and gave the Cossacks a leader on the floor, according to head coach Rachelle DeBeer.

"She has a great passion for the sport," DeBeer noted. "She understands the flow and momentum of the game. That experience has been great for our team."

Bjorklund posted 2.22 kills and 2.81 digs per game, adding 42 ace serves on the season. The 6-footer was a three-year starter for Sioux Falls Christian.

Ledeboer earned her spot on the first team by giving the Chargers a dominant force in the front row, recording 3.0 kills and 0.6 blocks per game.

"She is a very consistent, solid hitter," said Chargers head coach Darci Wassenaar. "She finds a way to get kills, and she doesn't make many errors."