Dec. 21, 2011
IRVING, Texas -
Southern Miss' Lauren Sears and UTEP's Stephanie Figueroa were named to the 2011 Capital One Academic All-America® Division I Volleyball second team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Sears carries a perfect 4.0 GPA in mathematics. The senior middle blocker leads the Golden Eagles in total blocks, hitting percentage and aces and ranks third on the team in kills. She is a three-time C-USA All-Academic Team, Commissioner's List and Academic Medal honoree. Sears has been named Academic All-District three times and has earned a spot on the President's List throughout her athletic career.
Figueroa also sports a flawless 4.0 grade point average in multidisciplinary studies. The libero ranks sixth in the conference in digs per set and has posted double-digit dig performances in 27 of 30 contests this season. She was a C-USA Academic Medalist in 2010 and has been named C-USA Player of the Week twice this season and four times during her career.
To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.
Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.
Capital One 2011 Academic All-America® Division I Volleyball Team
FIRST TEAM
Name School Yr. Hometown GPA Major
Suzy Boulavsky (3) Oklahoma Sr. Houston, Texas 3.97 Public Relations
Stephanie Browne (3) Stanford Gr. Danville, Cal. 3.95 Sociology
Katherine Fischer (3) Oregon Jr. Los Altos, Cal. 4.02 Accounting
Kristin Hoffman (3) N. Illinois Sr. Batavia, Ill. 3.97 History
Kristy Jaeckel Florida Gr. Littleton, Col. 4.00 Sport Management
Kelly Williamson (3) New Mexico Sr. Buenos Aires, Argentina 4.00 Conservation Biology
SECOND TEAM
Name School Yr. Hometown GPA Major
Cecilia Agraz Fresno State Jr. Hanford, Calif. 4.00 Communication, Political Science
Stephanie Figueroa UTEP Sr. Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico4.00 Multidisciplinary Studies
Jenna Miller Tenn-Martin Sr. Highland Village, Texas 4.00 Political Science
Jenilee Rathje Michigan StateGr. Mount Pleasant, Mich. 3.84 Kinesiology
Lauren Sears Southern Miss Sr. Ashburn, Va. 4.00 Mathematics
Ariel Turner Purdue Jr. Highlands Ranch, Col. 3.62 Mechanical Engineering
THIRD TEAM
Name School Yr. Hometown GPA Major
Lauren Campbell No. Arizona Jr. Covington, Wash. 4.00 Mechanical Engineering
Paige Dossey SE Missouri St.Sr.Avon, Ind. 4.00 Exceptional Child Education
Kelsey Jewasko UTSA Sr. San Antonio, Texas 3.93 Interdisciplinary Studies
Emma Keough Morehead St Gr. Batavia, Ohio 4.00 Education
Allison McGlaughlin No. Illinois Sr. Morton, Ill. 3.96 Elementary Education
Vineece Verdun Georgia St Sr. Bloomfield Hills, Mich. 3.98 Public Policy
Division I Academic All-American of the Year: Kristy Jaeckel, University of Florida
(3) CoSIDA Academic All-America® University Division third team selection in 2010