Press Release courtesy of C-USA
Thirteen volleyball student-athletes are being recognized for their accomplishments off the court and in the classroom as members of the 2017 InTouch Credit Union Conference USA All-Academic Team. Charlotte, North Texas and WKU each have two players represented on this year’s roster.
Two 49er sophomores in Mackenzie Reaume and Yumi Garcia were named to this season’s team with a pair of 4.0s in Pre-Business and Psychology, respectively. Reaume started all 30 of Charlotte’s regular season matches, already eclipsing the 1,000-career assists mark in October. Garcia broke a 9-year-old program record on Nov. 9 and is now the all-time single-season digs leader, while garnering two C-USA Defensive Player of the Week nods.
Karley York became the sixth Mean Green player to reach 1,000 assists and was vital in facilitating a North Texas offense that earned its first regular-season conference title. The junior has also received the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal and is a two-time Commissioner’s Honor Roll member. Posting a 4.0 GPA in the last five semesters, York earned a 3.83 as an Integrative Studies major. Holly Milam earned C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll twice and crafted a 3.5 in her kinesiology studies. The senior is the first Mean Green player to compile 1,000 kills, 600 digs and 250 blocks in a career.
WKU’s Jessica Lucas has been a staple for Lady Topper volleyball in her four-year career. Lucas has been named a three-time AVCA All-American honorable mention, two-time C-USA Setter of the Year, three-time C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll honoree, 2017 Senior CLASS Award candidate, three-time C-USA First-Team All-Conference and now joins the 2017 all-academic squad with a 3.55 in exercise science. Her teammate, senior Sydney Engle, earned a 3.81 in business administration and adds another accolade to her WKU tenure. She’s a five-time 2017 C-USA Defensive Player of the Week winner and two-time all-conference second team selection.
Sophomore Sigourney Kame constructed a 4.0 in her exercise science and health promotion route. She’s thrived on and off the court for Florida Atlantic as a C-USA All-Freshman Team selection in 2016 and now leads the team in kills and kills per set through all 26 matches played.
A product of Traviso, Italy, Margherita Bianchin of FIU received a 3.8 as an international relations major. She’s been an impactful facet of the FIU program as a secure starter through 22 matches this season. The junior and transfer from St. John’s leads the team in kills, kills per set and second in digs and aces per set.
Senior Jacie McClure appears on the all-academic team for the third-consecutive season and is the volleyball representative and social media chair on the SAAC Executive Committee. The Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native is a three-time recipient of the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal and has made the President’s list for all 10 quarters so far at Louisiana Tech. On the court, she led the team in digs and tied for most amount of sets played. She owns a 4.0 in kinesiology and health promotion.
Middle Tennessee’s Taylor Hammill was a key starting setter for the Blue Raiders and dons a 4.0 in mechatronic engineering. The sophomore is seventh in assists in program history since the start of the 25-point era and ranks third in program history in assists per set. Rice’s Lee Ann Cunningham inked a 3.8 in political science, Spanish intended. She has collected a C-USA Academic Honor Roll selection and Commissioner’s Academic Medal. The sophomore leads the team in digs and was named to the SMU, Omni and Rice Invitationals’ All-Tournament Teams.
Upperclassmen Sarah Bell of Southern Miss and UAB’s Haley Jared round out the all-academic squad. Bell is a 4.0 biological sciences student that became a President’s List member at Southern Miss and a 2016 C-USA All-Academic honoree. She amassed her third-consecutive 1,000-assist season as a Golden Eagle. Jared earned a 3.94 as an engineering major, also being named to the 2015-16 and 2016-17 C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll. The senior was awarded the 2015-16 and 2016-17 C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal and helped UAB earn the 2016-17 AVCA Team Academic Award.
2017 InTouch Credit Union C-USA Volleyball All-Academic Team
Mackenzie Reaume | Charlotte | So. | 4.0 | Pre-Business
Yumi Garcia | Charlotte | So. | 4.0 | Psychology
Sigourney Kame | Florida Atlantic | So. | 4.0 | Exercise Science and Health Promotion
Margherita Bianchin | FIU | Jr. | 3.8 | International Relations
Jacie McClure | Louisiana Tech | Sr. | 4.0 | Kinesiology and Health Promotion
Taylor Hammill | Middle Tennessee | So. | 4.0 | Mechatronic Engineering
Karley York | North Texas | Jr. | 3.83 | Integrative Studies
Holly Milam | North Texas | Sr. | 3.5 | Kinesiology
Lee Ann Cunningham | Rice | So. | 3.8 | Political Science and Spanish Intended
Sarah Bell | Southern Miss | Jr. | 4.0 | Biological Studies
Haley Jared | UAB | Sr. | 3.94 | Engineering
Jessica Lucas | WKU | Sr. | 3.55 | Exercise Science
Sydney Engle | WKU | Sr. | 3.81 | Business Administration
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