College Sports Information Directors of America

2016 CoSIDA Academic All-America® Volleyball Teams release dates: 
College Division Teams: PDF  |  doc
NCAA Division III Teams: Tues., Dec. 6
NCAA Division II Teams: Wed., Dec. 7 
NCAA Division I Teams: Thurs., Dec. 8 

• Academic All-America® Program Index Page

Peiyi Liu of Columbia (Mo.) Leads CoSIDA Academic All-America® College Division Volleyball Team
 

AUSTIN, Texas – Junior Peiyi Liu of Columbia (Mo.) College headlines the 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-America® College Division Volleyball Teams, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
 
The CoSIDA College Division Academic All-America® volleyball teams are comprised of student-athletes from NAIA, Canadian and two-year institutions.
 
Liu was selected as the CoSIDA Academic All-America® of the Year award for the volleyball team.
 
A junior sports management major from Nanjing, China, Liu boasts a 3.70 G.P.A. She helped the Cougars to a NAIA Volleyball National Championship appearance, advancing to the quarterfinal round before ending season with a 30-12 overall record. Columbia went 10-2 in American Midwest Conference (AMC) play and went on to capture the tournament title.
 
Liu, the 2015 NAIA Player of the Year and NAIA Tournament MVP, collected 622 kills this season along with 388 digs – both career highs. She ranks third in the NAIA in both total kills and hitting percentage (0.393) while checking in at 15th nationally in kills per set (4.17).
 
The 6-foot-3 outside hitter has compiled 1,223 kills, 726 digs and 176 total blocks in her career through two seasons at Columbia.
 
Joining Liu on the CoSIDA Academic All-America® first team are Meghan Birr of Lourdes University, KC Heimann of Midland University, Katie Placke Hastings College, Stephanie Ruffing of Lourdes, and Samantha Voils of Missouri Valley College.
 
Making up the CoSIDA Academic All-America® second team are Elizabeth Breton of Siena Heights University, Natalie Geidel of Viterbo University, Makenzie Montano of Lindsey Wilson College, Jennifer Ostrowski of Peru State College, Larissa Runyan of Mid-America Christian University, and Molly Shonk of Lourdes.
 
There are a total of four student-athletes with a G.P.A. of 4.0. The first team boasts a combined G.P.A. of 3.91, while the second team has a combined G.P.A. of 3.85. The overall G.P.A. for this year’s team is 3.88.

 
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Michael MacEachern, Young Harris College
Academic All-America® Co-Director for Publicity
mfmaceachern@yhc.edu
(706) 379-5106

Jay Stancil, Union (Ky.) College
Academic All-America® Coordinator of Publicity
jstancil@unionky.edu
(606) 546-1292