The 2020-2021 Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) Grizzly Volleyball team and four players recently received academic honors from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
The volleyball team received one of the NJCAA’s 2020-2021 Academic Team Awards.
Players Julieta Campana, Bahi Blanca, Argentina, and Ashton Wildermuth, Willard, received first team All-Academic Team honors. Angelina Hardison, Houston, Texas, and Lauren Weber, Nixa, received second team All-Academic Team honors.
“We are very proud of the players who have been recognized for their tremendous work in the classroom,” said Paula Wiedemann, athletic director and Grizzly Volleyball head coach. “It is a testament to their dedication and commitment to being successful on and off the court.
“This is the result of a lot of effort put in by these players and everyone who supports them as student-athletes,” Wiedemann added. “They put the time in that’s needed to excel academically, and I could not be happier for the recognition they deserve for their efforts.
“Being named to the All-Academic Team is a big deal, and to have four Grizzly athletes receiving those honors should have everyone on our campus feeling good about our student-athletes,” she said.
NJCAA officials recognize individual student-athletes for academic honors at three levels:
- First team All-Academic Team (4.0 GPA)
- Second team All-Academic Team (3.8 to 3.99 GPA)
- Third team All-Academic Team (3.6 to 3.79)
Officials honored 8,273 student-athletes this past year for academic achievement.
Academic Team Award
To receive the Academic Team Award, team members must have achieved a team cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. The Grizzlies had a GPA of 3.12 this past year.
Twenty-eight teams received NJCAA Academic Team of the Year honors for posting the highest GPA in their sport; 820 teams received the Academic Team Award for posting cumulative GPAs over 3.0 for the year.
“This past academic year was a difficult one to navigate, with more online classes and class disruptions due to COVID-19. Students had to be ready to adapt to things quickly,” Wiedemann said. “Our academic coordinator is Nancy McCartney, and she did a tremendous job of keeping everyone on task and on track. Our players love working with her, and we definitely appreciate all she did to keep them connected throughout,” Wiedemann said.
“Even though this is awarded to the team, it is shared with our tremendous faculty who lead them, as well as the staff of the Advisement and Academic Coaching Center for Empowering Student Success (AACCESS) and the PAWS (Promoting Academic success With Student-Athletes) Program, who work together with our players to make them the best student possible. You have to be willing to use the resources you have in front of you, and we appreciate the work our players have put in to do that,” she said.
The PAWS (Promoting Academic Success With Student-Athletes) Program was implemented in spring 2002. It consists of a group of students, faculty and staff who are dedicated to helping student-athletes develop the skills they need to excel in the classroom. It also provides additional assistance to student-athletes during study hall periods.
This year’s recognition of four volleyball players for individual academic awards brings the total number of such honorees in the volleyball program’s history to 57.
This is the 17th academic honor in the past 18 years for the Grizzly Volleyball team.
For more information about Grizzly Athletics, visit msuwpgrizzlies.com.
