AUSTIN, Texas — Averett University volleyball seniors Hannah Shields and Sarah Smoot were selected to the Academic All-America Team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), the organization announced on Wednesday. Shields was named to the Second Team while Smoot garnered Third Team honors.
Shields, an outside hitter from Keeling, Virginia, holds a 3.67 grade point average while majoring in physical education. Shields made the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America Team for the fourth consecutive season. A Third Team selection this season, Shields was a Second Team selection last season and earned Honorable Mention accolades her first two seasons. The four-time AVCA All-Region First Team selection and three-time USA South Conference Player of the Year finished her final season with 4.29 kills per set and 3.65 digs per set. The four-time USA South First Team selection finished the 2017 season with 532 kills with 452 digs, 56 service aces and 30 total bocks. The conference's all-time kills leader was named the USA South Player of the Week twice this season while earning a spot on the USA South All-Tournament Team. She also was named the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) State Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. She is a two-time Academic All-District selection.
Smoot, an outside hitter from Randleman, North Carolina, earned All-America honors after three consecutive selections to the Academic All-District Team. Smoot has a 3.96 grade point average while majoring in biomedical science and graduating in December. Smoot garnered her fourth USA South All-Conference honor after being named to the East Division Second Team in 2017. This season, she averaged 2.34 kills per set with 285 kills, 119 digs and 25 total blocks.
Two duo helped Averett (32-4, 16-0 USA South) win the East Division title this season.
Shields and Smoot are the 10th and 11th
CoSIDA Academic All-America selections from Averett, including the fourth and fifth from the volleyball program.
| 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-America® Division III Volleyball Team |
| First Team |
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
GPA |
Major |
| Haley Bergan (3) |
Loras |
Sr. |
4.00 |
Accounting |
| Abby Bertics |
MIT |
Jr. |
4.00 |
Electrical Engineering & Computer Science |
| Jenna Lodewyk (2, #) |
Calvin |
Sr. |
3.88 |
Business |
| Bailey MacInnis |
Rose-Hulman |
Jr. |
4.00 |
Biomedical Engineering |
| Gabriele Razma |
Rose-Hulman |
Sr. |
3.97 |
Biomedical Engineering |
| Jillian Schulte |
Cornell |
Jr. |
4.00 |
Medical Anthropology & Ethnic Studies |
| Erin Weisgarber |
Bluffton |
Jr. |
4.00 |
Mathematics |
|
|
|
|
|
| Second Team |
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
GPA |
Major |
| Azita Bakhtyari |
Worcester Polytechnic |
Jr. |
|
Mechanical Engineering |
| Taylor Bauman |
McDaniel |
Jr. |
|
Biology |
| Nora Holtan |
Gustavus Adolphus |
Jr. |
|
Psychological Science/Exercise Physiology |
| Anna Marcy |
St. John Fisher |
Sr. |
|
Nursing |
| Sarah Paolini |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
So. |
|
Nursing |
| Hannah Shields |
Averett |
Sr. |
|
Physical Education |
| Kate Walker |
Johnson & Wales |
So. |
|
Counseling Psychology |
|
|
|
|
|
| Third Team |
|
|
|
|
| Name |
School |
Yr. |
GPA |
Major |
| Mehra den Braven |
Swarthmore |
So. |
4.00 |
Undeclared |
| Devan Gallagher |
Vassar |
Jr. |
3.59 |
Political Science |
| Savannah Koester |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
3.98 |
Accounting |
| Morgan Lowe |
Susquehanna |
Sr. |
3.97 |
Accounting |
| Sara Ridgway |
Kean |
Sr. |
3.95 |
Media/Film Communication |
| Sarah Smoot |
Averett |
Sr. |
3.96 |
Biomedical Science |
| Kristin Stern |
Bethel (Minn.) |
Sr. |
3.96 |
Accounting and Finance |
| Carleigh Studtmann |
Bridgewater |
Sr. |
4.00 |
Biochemistry |
| Kelly Tornetta |
Muhlenberg |
Jr. |
3.94 |
Physics/Mathematics |
|
|
|
|
|
| CoSIDA Academic All-America® of the Year: Jenna Lodewyk, Calvin College |
|
|
|
|
|
(2) – CoSIDA Academic All-America® second team selection in 2016
(3) – CoSIDA Academic All-America® third team selection in 2016
(#) – CoSIDA Academic All-America® third team selection in 2015 |
