Thursday, October 31, 2019

PORTLAND, Ore. – Not only has Alaska Anchorage’s outside hitter Eve Stephens established herself as one of the conference’s top players on the volleyball court, but she is also one of the tops in the classroom.

The sophomore is one of three conference volleyball players with a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade point average, leading 69 student-athletes named to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Volleyball All-Academic Team.

Stephens has started 19 matches for the Seawolves, who sit at 15-5 overall and in second place in the GNAC at 10-2. The accounting major leads the conference and is ranked 25th in Division II with 4.51 points per set. She also leads the conference with 3.79 kills per set.

Joining Stephens with perfect 4.00 GPAs is Central Washington sophomore Madison Lee and Western Oregon junior Juliana Cameron.

The three are among 11 student-athletes on the team with a 3.90 GPA or higher and 22 student-athletes who own a 3.80 GPA or better.

The Volleyball All-Academic Team includes 27 repeat selections.Twelve student-athletes have been named to the team for the third time: Alaska Anchorage senior Vanessa Hayes, Central Washington seniors Gabrielle Aihara and Bridgette Webb; Concordia senior Jessica Wheeler, Northwest Nazarene seniors Megan Nelson and Kayla Sale; Saint Martin’s senior Ililani Kamaka, Seattle Pacific seniors Mallie Donohoe and Gabby Oddo; Simon Fraser senior Katerina Dolguikh and Western Washington seniors Joslyn Bopray Mae Thungc.

Northwest Nazarene leads all GNAC programs with 11 All-Academic selections, accounting for 68 percent of the program’s roster. Central Washington and Saint Martin’s had eight selections apiece.

To qualify for the GNAC All-Academic Teams, a student-athlete must be of sophomore eligibility of greater, be in their second season of competition at the nominating institution, be a letterwinner and have a cumulative 3.20 grade point average or higher.

2019 GNAC VOLLEYBALL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM