Volleyball Places Seven on Academic All-MAC Team
12/1/2017 1:53:00โฏPM | Women's Volleyball
CLEVELAND, Ohio โ Kent State had seven student-athletes named to the 2017 Volleyball Academic All-Mid-American Conference Team, the conference office announced on Friday (Dec. 1). Seniors Kelsey Bittinger, Challen Geraghty, Amber Gerdemanย and Brittney Jakscht, juniors Sam Jones and Lexi Mantas and sophomore Claire Tulisiak were among the 75 student-athletes to receive Academic All-MAC honors.
The Academic All-MAC Team honors student-athletes who have excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award.
Three Golden Flashes โ Bittinger, Geraghty and Jakscht โ received Academic All-MAC recognition for the third straight season, while Gerdeman, Jones and Mantas earned their second honor.
Kent State has flourished in the classroom since sixth-year head coach Don Gromala took over the program in the spring of 2012. Gromala's emphasis on academics has resulted in each of his first five teams earning the AVCA Team Academic Award. During his tenure, the Flashes have received 38 Academic All-MAC, eight MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete and five MAC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Week honors. Additionally, senior Kelsey Bittinger was recently named Academic All-Districtยฎ First Team for the third consecutive year and was recognized with Academic All-Americaยฎ Third Team honors a year ago.
2017 Volleyball Academic All-MAC Team (Kent State honorees)
Kelsey Bittinger, Senior
Challen Geraghty, Senior
Amber Gerdeman, Senior
Brittney Jakscht, Senior
Sam Jones, Junior
Lexi Mantas, Junior
Claire Tulisiak, Sophomore
