Wednesday, November 8, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. – It is tough to manage the rigors of both a college academic load and a college athletic career. Two seniors, however, have succeeded in both to headline the 2017 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Volleyball All-Academic Team.

Saint Martin’s senior libero Jennifer Codd and Western Oregon senior outside hitter Alisha Bettinson are among the top academic performers among the 65 total selections to the team. The two seniors are among 11 players on the squad to carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.80 or better and among nine three-time selections to the squad.

Codd, who has a 3.93 GPA as a biology major, has been a four-year member of the Saints’ volleyball team. She has appeared in four matches this season as a defensive specialist.

Bettinson, who has a 3.84 GPA as a business major, has been a key member of the Western Oregon lineup all season. The senior leads the Wolves and is fifth in the GNAC with an average of 3.53 kills per set and ranks seventh with 3.92 points per set.

Codd leads five GNAC players to compile a 3.90 GPA or better. She is joined by Central Washington sophomores Niki Cook and Kacee O’Brien; Concordia sophomore Jessica Wheeler and Western Oregon’s Jenna Compton. The team also features 11 players to compile a 3.80 GPA or better.

A total of 27 honorees, accounting for 42 percent of the team, are repeat selections. Ten of those have earned their third selections to the All-Academic Team. Joining Codd and Bettinson for the third year are Northwest Nazarene’s Hailey Cook and Jacquelyn Johnson, Saint Martin’s Nicolette Nesbitt, Seattle Pacific’s Colleen Hannigan and Sophie Kuehl, Simon Fraser’s Christine Howlett, Western Oregon’s Sydney Blankinship and Western Washington’s Kristina Tribley.

Of the 64 selections, 11 were named to the All-GNAC Team in 2016. The list includes 2016 Newcomer of the Year Michele Brown from Concordia, first-team selection and 2017 Preseason Player of the Year Leah Swiss from Alaska Anchorage. Other first-team selections on the All-Academic Team include Central Washington's Sabrina Wheelhouse, Northwest Nazarene’s Kendra Bodine and Western Washington’s Abby Phelps.

Concordia and Central Washington led all 11 GNAC teams with nine honorees each on the Volleyball All-Academic Team followed by Northwest Nazarene and Saint Martin’s with seven.

To qualify for the GNAC All-Academic Team, a student-athlete must be of sophomore standing or better, be in their second season competing at their current institution and have a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or better.

2017 GNAC VOLLEYBALL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM

 
* - 2016 All-Academic Selection   + - 2015 All-Academic Selection