College Sports Information Directors of America

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

• Academic All-America® Program Index Page

Riley Hanson of Concordia-St. Paul Leads CoSIDA Academic All-America® Division II Volleyball Team
 

AUSTIN, Texas – Concordia (Minn.) University, St. Paul senior middle blocker Riley Hanson leads the 2016 Academic All-America® Division II volleyball team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
 
A biology major with a 3.85 G.P.A., Hanson has been named the 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-America® of the Year for Division II volleyball.
 
The Division II Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2016-17 Division II Academic All-America® teams program.
 
An All-American following her sophomore and junior seasons, Hanson is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America® selection. She was a second team choice in 2015. This year, the Nevis, Minnesota, native leads the nation with her .445 hitting percentage (a single-season record at CSP). The Concordia-St. Paul program’s all-time leader in hitting percentage, Hanson tops the Golden Bear charts with 0.90 blocks per set this year. She is second on the CSP list with her 3.06 kills per set.
 
Top-ranked Concordia-St. Paul is 29-2 overall entering the NCAA Division II postseason. Hanson helped the Golden Bears earn back-to-back Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular season and tournament titles after her school went nine seasons without a tourney title. Hanson has picked up double-digit kills in 19 matches this year, including her first career double-double (16 kills, 10 blocks) against the University of Minnesota Duluth.
 
Washburn University senior outside hitter Leanna Willer earns first team CoSIDA Academic All-America® honors after receiving second team distinction in 2015. The Elkhorn, Nebraska, native possesses a 3.97 G.P.A. with her mathematics major.
 
On the court, Willer was named to the honorable mention AVCA All-Central Region team after receiving first team laurels last season. She registered 15 double-doubles this year. Willer had 24 matches with double-figure kills, including tying her career-high with 28 against the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She led the Ichabods in service aces (35), while charting second in digs (358).
 
Two student-athletes make the big move from the 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-America® third team to the 2016 first team: Washburn senior defensive specialist/libero Alyssa Carney and Ashland University senior right-side hitter Alli Cudworth. Both Carney and Cudworth received All-Region honors on the court this season.
 
An AVCA All-Central Region first team pick, Carney completed her final WU campaign with team-highs in digs (581) and digs per set (5.28). The Auburn, Kansas, native filled out her statistical ledger with 87 assists, 24 service aces and eight kills. Carney was one of only two Ichabod student-athletes to appear in every set this season as Washburn compiled a 28-6 overall, advancing to the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Tournament championship match. She has a 4.00 G.P.A. as a biology major.
 
Cudworth is the first player in Ashland history to earn All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference first team honors four years in a row. She is a first team All-Region selection from both the D2CCA and the AVCA. Entering the NCAA Division II regional tournament, the Kent, Ohio, native had posted 470 kills, 57 service aces, 387 digs and 64 total blocks. She is only the third player in AU program history to record 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs. Academically, Cudworth is an integrated social studies education major with a 3.89 G.P.A.
 
The members of this year’s CoSIDA Academic All-America® team are performing at a high level in the classroom and on the court, as 11 of the 18 student-athletes helped their teams reach the NCAA postseason tournament.
 
Hanson, Willer, Carney and Cudworth are joined on the CoSIDA Academic All-America® first team by Post University senior Skylar German and Lynn University senior Marissa Tandron. The six Academic All-America® first team members hold a composite 3.92 cumulative G.P.A. with Carney topping the charts with her perfect 4.00 G.P.A.
 
The CoSIDA Academic All-America® second team includes Northern State University senior Tori Blach, University of North Alabama graduate student Natasha Fomina, California Baptist University teammates Lauren Hackett (junior) and Jenna Perry (senior), Michigan Technological University senior Rachel Pohlod and Concordia-St. Paul senior Kasey Williams. Blach leads the second team honorees with her 4.00 G.P.A. as a biology major.
 
The CoSIDA Academic All-America® third team members are Francis Marion University senior Caroline Boone, Newberry College senior Madison Darby-McClure, Colorado School of Mines senior Taryn Huber, Wheeling Jesuit University senior Kayce Krucki, California University of Pennsylvania senior Megan Litoborski and California State University, Stanislaus senior Maddi Seidl. A biology major, Seidl is the only third team honoree with a spotless 4.00 G.P.A.
 
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Michael MacEachern, Young Harris College
Academic All-America® Co-Director for Publicity
mfmaceachern@yhc.edu
(706) 379-5106

David Sherwood, Wingate University
Academic All-America® Coordinator of Publicity
dsherwod@wingate.edu
(704) 233-8186