Capital City News
2007 Academic All-Americans
Article courtesy of John Tawa | http://www.prepvolleyball.com/
Volleyball players, as a whole, are a talented bunch who excel both on the court and in the classroom. Here are the best of the best at combining big brains and athletic brawn, our 2007 PrepVolleyball.com Academic All American list.
Before we get to the honorees, a little about the process. When we sought nominees for this list from high school and club coaches and club directors three weeks ago, we were looking for seniors who were both sensational students and volleyball players. At the time, we stated that we'd select a total of only 24 players for three teams from all the names submitted, but there were so many talented ladies that confining the list to 24 players from across the country just wasn't possible.
We are pleased to reveal our Academic All Americans below, culled from more than 100 nominees. They are presented in five teams of eight plus a "Highest Honorable Mention" category. The teams consist loosely of five attackers, two setters and a defensive player. Moreover, in the spirit of emphasizing brains over brawn, we occasionally relaxed the requirement that players be among the best in their state if their academic achievements were simply too outstanding to be overlooked.
One final note: to be considered for this honor, players HAD to be nominated. Unlike performance-based awards, which can sometimes be determined by reference to newspaper articles or coaches association websites alone, the specific academic prowess necessary to be considered here required that a coach, high school or club, affirmatively support a player's candidacy with specific academic information.
Here now are our 2007 Academic All-Americans. Congratulations to all!
FIRST TEAM
Betsy Smith, 6-3 OH, Wesleyan (Norcross GA) - Gatorade's Player of the Year for Georgia, the State Player of the Year in her class, Gwinnett County POY, Area MVP, et al, Smith has been a starter on the state A/AA champion all four years. This season, Smith had 441 kills, 226 digs, 95 aces and 46 blocks. She holds the school record for career kills (1478) and hitting percentage and is second in blocks and digs. Plus, her jump serve accounted for 207 career aces. Smith is both a primary passer and strong defender, which is rare for someone so tall. More importantly, she is a person of impeccable character and dedicated to her team: she put off jaw surgery until the end of the season to play for her team. "She is a great leader and a role model for all of the younger kids in my program," said coach Ted Russell. "Betsy's intellectual gifts make her a much better volleyball player. She has one of the highest volleyball IQ's of any player that I have ever coached. She is always looking at her opponents from a coach's perspective, trying to think of how to go about beating them strategically." A member of the National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta, Smith was recognized by her teachers her freshmen, sophomore and junior years as the top girl in her grade with the Academic Excellence award.
Hannah Shadrick, 5-8 OH, Girls Preparatory School (Chattanooga TN) - The Gatorade Award winner for Tennessee, Shadrick averaged 3.1 kills and 5.6 digs per game during the regular season but really turned it on during the state tournament, raising those numbers to 4.9 kills and 8.1 digs. On the year she had 551 kills, 1002 digs, 121 total blocks and 135 aces. In two matches versus defending state champion Father Ryan on the last day of the Division II-A tournament - lose either and GPS would be eliminated - Shadrick shined against the team that had beaten GPS twice before on the season, compiling 17 kills, 25 digs, 6 aces and 6 blocks in the five-set initial win, then adding 11 kills, 27 digs, 4 blocks and 3 aces in the four-set clincher that gave the Bruisers, 48-12, the state title. For her effort, Shadrick, the only senior on the team, was voted tournament MVP and First Team All State. A brilliant student with a 4.19 unweighted GPA, won the Pearl of Promise Award presented by the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce to a female junior or senior high school student who demonstrates a strong scholastic aptitude in science and math. Shadrick, who only takes college classes and is a game-changer on the court, is a true student-athlete
Courtney Hott, 6-2 MB, Courtland (Spotsylvania VA) - Named Second Team All State in Class AA, Hott, a four-year starter, led Courtland to a 21-3 record in 2007 and led the team in kills and blocks, while also posting impressive digs and aces numbers. She was First Team All District, First Team All Region and First Team All Area and team MVP. As hard as she hits the ball, Hott hits the books even harder. A member of the school's 4.0 club, she was the Courtland High School female Wendy's High School Heisman winner, is a member of the National Honor Society and the National Latin Honor Society and wowed on the SATs, scoring a perfect 800 in Verbal and 780 in Writing. Ranked fifth in her class out of 310 students, Hott will play at Virginia Commonwealth next year.
Rachel Krabacher, 6-3 MB, McAuley (Cincinnati OH) - Krabacher had an amazing year in the GGCL, but her performance - 6.3 kills per game, 523 total - was overshadowed nationally by the play of Mother of Mercy's Missy Harpenau and Mt. Notre Dame's Rachael Adams, who played on nationally prominent teams. Five times Krabacher had 30 or more kills in a match and she shattered the school record for career kills, putting 250 between herself and the next highest total. First Team All League, First Team All City and First Team All State, Krabacher got it done consistently on the court, but that's not the only place she excelled. Scholastically, she has a perfect 4.0 unweighted GPA, is a member of the National Honor Society and received the Trustees' Merit Scholarship from the University of Dayton, the highest academic scholarship awarded, where she will attend on a volleyball scholarship.
Brigette Root, 5-10 S, Grand Island (NE) - Root led her team to the state finals in Nebraska's top class the past two years. First Team All State in Class A and Second Team All Nebraska, Root had 1,174 assists, 49 aces and 214 digs for a 29-6 team in 2007. She is ranked No. 1 in her class of 443, scored a 32 on the ACT and received the Regents Scholarship at the University of Nebraska, where she will walk on. "Brigette works so hard at everything she does on and off the court," said head coach Bill Root. "She takes great pride in her class work and we are extremely proud of her. To do what she has done on the court and the success she has had on the floor is impressive, but to be able to back it up in the classroom shows a lot about the type of person and hard worker that she is. She has become a model for what the phrase 'student-athlete' stands for."
Lacey Laycock, 5-7 S, Lone Peak (Highland UT) - A smart setter who set the state single-season ace record and broke the state record for aces in a match in a season, Laycock led Lone Peak to the 5A state title and was named Utah's Miss Volleyball. A great kid, Laycock was responsible for spearheading the "Serve Strong on and off the Court" Service project where other high schools along with Lone Peak did community service. She has a 4.0 unweighted GPA, is ranked first in her class, is a member of the Academic All State team and is a Sterling Scholar in Social Studies.
Ashley Marshall, 5-9 OH/S, Hillcrest (Simpsonville SC) - Gatorade's Player of the Year for South Carolina and the state's Miss Volleyball, Marshall recorded 348 kills and 346 assists to lead the Lady Rams to a second straight Class AAAA state title. Marshall has maintained a 4.42 GPA in the classroom. She participates in multiple community service initiatives on behalf of the National Honor Society, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the National Beta Club, a student-centered organization that encourages service involvement. "Ashley has been the backbone of the whole team," said Hillcrest head coach Lynn Avant. "She's great at every skill. And it's not just playing-wise. She has great character and team leadership abilities."
Laurel Casey, 5-6 Libero, The Bishop's (San Diego CA) - The captain of a team that finished 25-10 and tied for third in California in Division IV, Casey was First Team All League and First Team All CIF-San Diego Section and was a huge factor in The Bishop's outstanding year. Just named the Captain of the San Diego Union-Tribune All-Academic First Team, Casey sports a cool 4.59 GPA at arguably the toughest academic school in San Diego. She will attend Yale University in the fall.
SECOND TEAM
Lauren Wintzinger, 5-11 OH, Huntsville (AL) - Ranked fourth in the state in career kills, Wintzinger was Alabama 6A Player of the Year in 2007 for Huntsville, which won its fifth state title in a row. Wintzinger, a four-year starter, amassed more than 500 kills this past fall to lead the team and also was second on the team in digs. A brilliant student whose 4.1 GPA in all honors courses ranks her third out of 354 in her class, Wintzinger will attend Alabama in the fall.
Liz McArthur, 6-0 OH, Snow Canyon (St. George UT) - The 2007 4A Utah Player of the Year, McArthur had 444 kills on the season, including 24 (plus 23 digs) in the state final as the Warriors won a state championship for the second consecutive year. Signed to play next year at Utah State, McArthur is a 4.0 student and one of eight selected to the Utah 4A Academic All-State team. "Not only is she a great volleyball player, she is a good leader and works hard to set an example for her teammates," said coach Alaina Parker. "She is responsible and conscientious, participates in every class, and has a great rapport with students and teachers."
Stephanie Cripps, 6-1 MB, Novi (MI) - An academic powerhouse, Cripps has been First Team Academic All State, Conference, and Region for the past four years. She is a 4.0 student, a member of the National Honor Society and recently was accepted at Notre Dame in the pre-med program. A four-year starter on the varsity, Cripps led Novi to the state Final Four in Class A this year and set school records for kills in a season (404) and ace blocks in a season (131). The team captain, Cripps was First Team All Conference and All Region and Third Team All State. "Stephanie is a world class student athlete," said Novi coach Julie Fisette. "She leads by example both in the classroom and on the court. She is dedicated to volleyball and her career as a medical doctor. She has a driving force and the ability to prioritize and excel at everything she sets her mind to. She is a hard-working athlete and one of the most coachable and dedicated kids I have ever known."
Tanya Schmidt, 6-3 MB, Harker Prep (San Jose CA) - Schmidt posted mind-boggling numbers in 2007, leading Harker Prep to its first state finals appearance, where she was named MVP in a losing effort. Her 643 kills, 94 blocks, 248 digs and 52 aces were good enough for First Team All County honors and a repeat performance as league MVP. Schmidt, who has a 4.2 GPA, is a National Merit Semifinalist, an AP Scholar with Honor and recipient of the Dartmouth Book Award. She will attend Santa Clara on a full volleyball scholarship.
Maggie Seeds, 6-1 MB, West Forsyth (Clemmons NC) - An All Conference performer after delivering 406 kills in 24 matches in 2007, with Seeds on the team, West Forsyth reached the state playoffs the past three seasons, ending a 10-year drought. Winner of the school's Wendy's High School Heisman, Seeds is a powerhouse in the classroom, ranked fifth in a class of 475. She scored 2090 on her SAT, is a member of the National Honor Society and has been an NCHSA school athlete the past three seasons. An accomplished flautist and dancer and a Gold Award member of the Girl Scouts, Seeds plans on studying astronomy and/or astrophysics in college.
Maggie Hoey, 5-9 S, Pope (Marietta GA) - The 2007 Cobb County Player of the Year, Hoey helped the Greyhounds to a 41-4 record and Elite Eight appearance at state last fall. Voted First Team All State for the second consecutive year, Hoey, who will attend Wake Forest, holds the Cobb County career assists record and ranks fifth on the Georgia career assists list. She also is the only setter in Georgia history to record more than 1,000 career digs. Academically, Hoey boasts a 4.4 GPA on a 4.0 scale, a 2130 SAT and is the only volleyball player among 10 state finalists for the Wendy's Heisman Award, which blends athletics and academics. She is first chair French horn in the symphonic orchestra, where she made county Honor band three years in a row and mentors freshman students in the Ambassador program. "Maggie is a true leader on the court," said coach Bryan Jones. "She's one of those players who puts her teammates before herself, and she has been a hub of our high school team her entire career. At school, she is a leader in student government and she is a top student who was named Homecoming Queen this fall also was voted 'Friendliest' in the senior class by her classmates."
Jordan Reeder, 5-9 S, Whittell (Zephyr Cove NV) - The 2008 2A Nevada Player of the Year, Reeder has been a standout on the court the past three years for Whittell, each of which ended in a state title. Ranked second in her class, Reeder's 4.33 GPA would be even higher if Whittell offered more AP courses. She is bound for Cornell where she will study Environmental Biology in addition to playing volleyball for the Big Red.
Kelsi Copier, Sr., DS, Cottonwood (Salt Lake City UT) - A four-year contributor at defensive specialist for one of the best volleyball programs in the state, Copier's academic excellence is mind-boggling. Possessing a perfect 4.0 GPA, she is valedictorian of her graduating class of 444 and, after completing 12 AP courses, received the AP Scholar with Distinction Award from the College Board Advanced Placement Program. A member of the Utah Academic All-State team and a Sterling Scholar in Foreign Language, Copier will attend Yale University in the fall and study Biomedical Engineering. Said one of her teachers: "… Kelsi is decent, compassionate, polite and forthright in her interaction with others; her contemporaries respect her not only for her keen intellect, but also for the kindness, charm and dignity with which she conducts all her affairs…."
Written by John Tawa on Tuesday, 29 January 2008
