Friday, December 17, 2021

AUSTIN, Texas – After helping lead Alaska Anchorage back to the NCAA postseason while maintaining stellar standards in the classroom, junior right-side hitter Eve Stephens has been named a Third Team Division II Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

With a 3.89 GPA as an accounting major, Stephens earned her third straight First Team All-GNAC selection after leading the Seawolves to a 19-12 overall record. The team tied for second place with Central Washington in the conference standings at 12-6 and was one of four GNAC teams selected for the NCAA Division II West Regional.

She was one of three West Region players named to the 21-player Academic All-America Team, joining Bria Beale of Hawaii Hilo (first team) and Alexis Cardoza of Cal State San Bernardino (second team).

Stephens was also named Second Team All-America and First Team All-West Region by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). She is one of three all-time UAA athletes to be named an All-American in multiple years.

Stephens finished second in the GNAC with 3.84 kills and 4.67 points per set and was fourth with 0.42 aces per set. Among Division II players, Stephens ranks 14th in points per set and 28th in kills per set. She had double-digit kills in 24 matches and double-doubles in 11 matches with a high of 26 kills against Central Washington on October 7.

Stephens is just the fourth CoSIDA Volleyball Academic All-American in conference history and the first since Western Washington’s Liz Bishop and Nicola Parker were named to the second team in 2003. Stephens was one of five GNAC student-athletes named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 Volleyball Team in November.

Nominated and voted upon by members of CoSIDA, the Academic All-American program recognize student-athletes of sophomore standing or higher who are starters or significant reserves for their teams with a minimum GPA of 3.30 or better.