PEORIA, Ill. – USC Upstate sophomore and Illinois native, Emily Sanders earned a slot on the Hotels at Grand Prairie Invitational All-Tournament team following her standout performance this past weekend in the Midwest.

The 5-6 setter, originally from Sullivan, Ill., finished out the tournament with an impressive 161 assists, 50 digs, 7 kills and a pair of blocks in three outings. Upstate left the tournament and the Midwest with a 1-2 record to begin the 2010 season.

In 2009 Sanders was recognized as one of five freshmen to play more than 100 sets in the Atlantic Sun Conference and she led all conference freshmen with nine double-doubles, including the six she posted in A-Sun play.

Additionally, Sanders was the only A-Sun freshman to post 500 assists during the 2009 season, finishing with 501 helpers, an average of 4.77 per set, and finished tied for second among A-Sun freshmen in aces (21) and third in digs (222). Moreover, she was second in assists per set (4.7) and fourth in digs per set (2.11). Sanders also led all conference freshmen in assists (352), was third in digs (148) and finished with 23 double-digit assist efforts.

Upstate will resume play on Wednesday September 1, when the Spartans travel to Orangeburg, S.C. to play South Carolina State (1-3). The match against the Bulldogs is set to begin at 6:00 p.m.