McLean Named CoSIDA/Google Cloud Academic All-American

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)

Players Mentioned

Samantha McLean

Rachel Minarick

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