Ottumwa -- The last signee in the 2014 recruiting class has turned into the first volleyball All-American at Indian Hills Community College in six years.

Freshman Tamara Merseli, from Belgrade, Serbia, has been named an Honorable Mention All-American by the National Junior College Athletic Association. She played in all 39 matches for the Warriors this fall and was the team-leader in kills (509), kills per set (3.80), digs (439) and service aces (37) while helping lead Indian Hills to a 32-7 record.

IHCC coach Lyndsey Michel recalled that she received an email from Merseli last July, an email she says she normally would have deleted. Except that Michel had gotten Merseli's email the same day that a commitment from another international player had fallen through. So, suddenly there was an open spot on the roster, and Merseli didn't take long to convince her coach that she made the right decision in offering a scholarship.

"Tamara came in ready to rock and roll," Michel said. "Her ability to earn points on offense and her quickness and relentless sacrifice in the back row defensively were the spark we needed to help all of our freshmen adopt the same culture."

Michel referred to Merseli as a "Superman," someone she said was always there for her team. "She was a quick spark to get a fire lit to get our team started," the IHCC coach said. "Her strength, quickness and vertical leap made it seem, at times, like she had superhuman powers. Because of those attributes she was also the player that endured the tough times and kept her team battling through the final points of the set and match."

Merseli, who had played nearly a decade of club volleyball in her native Serbia, admits she was a little confused and maybe not as aggressive as she should have been when she arrived on the IHCC campus, but she adds that she pushed herself every day to get better. "I felt I was playing my best the last month of the season," she said, pointing to a win at Kirkwood late in the regular season as her best performance, "and that's one of the reasons I'm excited about next season."

Merseli said she looks forward to doing the work needed to improve during the off-season, including lifting weights, increasing her jumping ability and playing a lot of volleyball.

And Michel said she is anxious to have the All-American around for another year. "Tamara is one of the most humble, polite, fun-loving, good-natured and hard-working players that's come through this program and she is quite deserving of this honor."

Merseli is the sixth volleyball All-American at Indian Hills and the first since Karie Downing was a first-team choice in 2008.