Kent State Places Six on Volleyball Academic All-MAC Team
12/4/2019 11:27:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Six Kent State student-athletes have been named to the 2019 Volleyball Academic All-Mid-American Conference Team, which was announced by the conference office on Wednesday (Dec. 4). Senior Ashley Makruski, junior Kaeleigh Stang and sophomores Erin Gardner, Alex Haffner, Melissa Kolurbasi and Danie Tyson were among the 77 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.
Gardner served as libero in all 29 matches and was one of only two Golden Flashes to appear in all 113 sets this past season. She ranked in the top-20 nationally in total digs (594) and digs per set (5.26) while recording a team-high 35 service aces. The fastest player to the 1,000-dig mark in school history, Gardner ranks eighth on Kent State's career digs list with 1,172 through two seasons.
An All-MAC Honorable Mention selection, Haffner also played in all 113 sets for the Flashes. She was seventh in the conference with 8.99 assists per set and tallied 270 digs, which ranked third on the team. Haffner recorded a team-best 11 double-doubles.
Kolurbasi played in 22 matches and posted double-digit kills five times, which included a career-high 16 in a win over Idaho State. She totaled 147 kills and 14 blocks on the season.
Makruski played in 28 matches during her breakout senior campaign, leading the Flashes with 286 kills (2.72 per set). She posted double-digit kills 16 times, which included a career-high 19 against Western Michigan. She added 31 total blocks, which was tied for the fourth-most on the team.
Stang played in 18 matches and made 12 starts. She was an integral part of a defense that ranked 15th in the nation in digs per set, finishing fourth on the team with 184 digs (2.92 per set). Stang posted double-digit digs 14 times, which included a pair of 20-dig performances.
Tyson played in 112 sets and was the only Kent State player to start all 29 matches. She ranked ninth in the MAC with a .321 hitting percentage and led the Flashes with 71 total blocks. Tyson totaled 236 kills and posted double-figure kills in eight matches.
Kent State has flourished in the classroom since eighth-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 seven teams earning the AVCA Team Academic Award. During his tenure, the Flashes have received 49 Academic All-MAC, 10 MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete and five MAC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Week honors.
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2019 Volleyball Academic All-MAC Team (Kent State honorees)
Erin Gardner, Sophomore
Alex Haffner, Redshirt Sophomore
Melissa Kolurbasi, Sophomore
Ashley Makruski, Senior
Kaeleigh Stang, Junior
Danie Tyson, Sophomore
