McLean Named CoSIDA/Google Cloud Academic All-American
12/10/2018 12:59:00 PM | Volleyball
Michigan State junior Samantha McLean (Grand Rapids, Mich.) has been named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Google Cloud Academic All-America Team, as announced on Monday.
Perhaps the most competitive single-sport team in the CoSIDA Academic All-America program, McLean was one of 21 athletes chosen throughout Division I volleyball. She is also one of just six non-seniors to make one of the three teams .
McLean is a Kinesiology/ Pre-Med major. In addition to maintaining a perfect 4.0 grade-point average, and is one of just two players to appear in every set for the Spartans this season. She is MSU's primary DS, and averages 2.08 digs per set, while adding 16 service aces, one of seven MSU players to post double-digit ace totals this season.
An Academic All-Big Ten and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honoree as a sophomore, McLean is also active in community activities, serving on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She was the team's "Most Inspirational Award" winner in 2017 after having her sophomore season cut short in a moped accident; she was able to return to the court in the spring with full clearance and was able to prepare for her junior year, where she plays an integral role on a young team featuring just three upperclassmen.
"Sam is truly the embodiment of a student-athlete," said Spartan head coach Cathy George. "The balance of Division I athletics and a 4.0 grade-point average as a pre-med major is a testament to her ability and hard work. Adding in that she is one of our SAAC reps, participates in extracurricular activities, and is a leader in our program, she's an excellent example of what we'd like our student-athletes to be. This is a tremendously deserved award for Sam.
McLean is the sixth Spartan to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors in MSU Volleyball program history. Dana Cooke was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America, earning Second Team honors in 1995 before earning a spot on the First Team in 1996. Val Sterk (1996, Third Team) Jenilee Rathje (2011, Second Team) current assistant coach Kristen Kelsay (2013, Third Team) and Rachel Minarick (2017, First Team) are the other Spartans to previously earn this honor.
Of the 21 members of the 2018 CoSIDA Google Cloud Academic All-America® Division I volleyball team, 14 have a perfect 4.0 GPA, with 20 student-athletes boasting a 3.73 or better. The seven members of the first team are all a 3.99 or better.
NCAA DIVISION I
Academic All-American of the Year: Molly Kelly, University of Iowa
FIRST TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Allie Barber Marquette University Jr 3.99 Biomedical Science
Olivia Beyer Louisiana State University Sr 4.10 Nutrition & Food Sciences
Ann Hollas Stephen F. Austin State University Jr. 4.00 Biology
Molly Kelly University of Iowa Sr. 4.06 International Studies / Religious Studies
Ali Line Illinois State University Sr. 4.00 Nursing
Kristen Stucker Austin Peay State University Sr. 4.00 Biology & Agriculture (Pre-Veterinary)
Anna Zwiebel Louisiana State University Jr. 4.09 Kinesiology
SECOND TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Tami Alade Stanford University Sr 3.56 Human Biology
Kayla Davenport Houston Baptist University Gr. 4.00 Kinesiology / Sport Management
Madison Green Texas A&M - Corpus Christi Jr. 4.00 Biology
Morgan Hash Georgia State University Jr. 4.15 Public Health
Brittany Lawrence University of Northern Colorado Gr. 4.00 Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Patricia Mattingly U.S. Naval Academy Sr. 3.85 Applied Mathematics
Chloe Rojas Eastern Kentucky University Sr. 4.00 Journalism / Spanish
Jaali Winters Creighton University Sr. 3.90 Business Intelligence & Analytics
THIRD TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Megan Anderson Hartford So. 4.00 Biology
Sarah Bell University of Southern Mississippi Sr. 3.97 Biological Sciences
Santita Ebangwese Syracuse University Sr. 3.73 Bioengineering
Erika Ianovale North Carolina Central University Sr. 4.00 Mass Communications
Roni Jones-Perry Brigham Young University Sr. 3.63 Exercise Science
Taryn Kloth Creighton University Sr. 3.86 Finance
Samantha McLean Michigan State University Jr. 4.00 Kinesiology (Pre-Med)
Perhaps the most competitive single-sport team in the CoSIDA Academic All-America program, McLean was one of 21 athletes chosen throughout Division I volleyball. She is also one of just six non-seniors to make one of the three teams .
McLean is a Kinesiology/ Pre-Med major. In addition to maintaining a perfect 4.0 grade-point average, and is one of just two players to appear in every set for the Spartans this season. She is MSU's primary DS, and averages 2.08 digs per set, while adding 16 service aces, one of seven MSU players to post double-digit ace totals this season.
An Academic All-Big Ten and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honoree as a sophomore, McLean is also active in community activities, serving on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She was the team's "Most Inspirational Award" winner in 2017 after having her sophomore season cut short in a moped accident; she was able to return to the court in the spring with full clearance and was able to prepare for her junior year, where she plays an integral role on a young team featuring just three upperclassmen.
"Sam is truly the embodiment of a student-athlete," said Spartan head coach Cathy George. "The balance of Division I athletics and a 4.0 grade-point average as a pre-med major is a testament to her ability and hard work. Adding in that she is one of our SAAC reps, participates in extracurricular activities, and is a leader in our program, she's an excellent example of what we'd like our student-athletes to be. This is a tremendously deserved award for Sam.
McLean is the sixth Spartan to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors in MSU Volleyball program history. Dana Cooke was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America, earning Second Team honors in 1995 before earning a spot on the First Team in 1996. Val Sterk (1996, Third Team) Jenilee Rathje (2011, Second Team) current assistant coach Kristen Kelsay (2013, Third Team) and Rachel Minarick (2017, First Team) are the other Spartans to previously earn this honor.
Of the 21 members of the 2018 CoSIDA Google Cloud Academic All-America® Division I volleyball team, 14 have a perfect 4.0 GPA, with 20 student-athletes boasting a 3.73 or better. The seven members of the first team are all a 3.99 or better.
NCAA DIVISION I
Academic All-American of the Year: Molly Kelly, University of Iowa
FIRST TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Allie Barber Marquette University Jr 3.99 Biomedical Science
Olivia Beyer Louisiana State University Sr 4.10 Nutrition & Food Sciences
Ann Hollas Stephen F. Austin State University Jr. 4.00 Biology
Molly Kelly University of Iowa Sr. 4.06 International Studies / Religious Studies
Ali Line Illinois State University Sr. 4.00 Nursing
Kristen Stucker Austin Peay State University Sr. 4.00 Biology & Agriculture (Pre-Veterinary)
Anna Zwiebel Louisiana State University Jr. 4.09 Kinesiology
SECOND TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Tami Alade Stanford University Sr 3.56 Human Biology
Kayla Davenport Houston Baptist University Gr. 4.00 Kinesiology / Sport Management
Madison Green Texas A&M - Corpus Christi Jr. 4.00 Biology
Morgan Hash Georgia State University Jr. 4.15 Public Health
Brittany Lawrence University of Northern Colorado Gr. 4.00 Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Patricia Mattingly U.S. Naval Academy Sr. 3.85 Applied Mathematics
Chloe Rojas Eastern Kentucky University Sr. 4.00 Journalism / Spanish
Jaali Winters Creighton University Sr. 3.90 Business Intelligence & Analytics
THIRD TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Megan Anderson Hartford So. 4.00 Biology
Sarah Bell University of Southern Mississippi Sr. 3.97 Biological Sciences
Santita Ebangwese Syracuse University Sr. 3.73 Bioengineering
Erika Ianovale North Carolina Central University Sr. 4.00 Mass Communications
Roni Jones-Perry Brigham Young University Sr. 3.63 Exercise Science
Taryn Kloth Creighton University Sr. 3.86 Finance
Samantha McLean Michigan State University Jr. 4.00 Kinesiology (Pre-Med)
Players Mentioned
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