Two-time Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year Taylor Root (Jenison, Mich./Jenison) has been named the league’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and one of seven athletes on the Preseason All-League squad, as voted on by the league’s eight head coaches and released by the league office this morning.

Root enters the 2012 campaign as the Horizon League’s all-time digs leader, having tallied 2,017 career digs through her first three seasons.  The two-time Honorable Mention All-American sits less than 300 digs away from the top spot on Valpo’s career chart in the category as well.  Through three years, Root has already broken the league record for Player of the Week awards with eight weekly honors from the league office and has earned All-League honors in each of her three seasons.

Root and the Crusaders open the 2012 season in Iowa City, Iowa on Friday, August 24 at the Hawkeye Challenge, taking on Southeast Missouri State and Chicago State on the first day of action.