Colorado University Athletics
Five Buffs Earn Pac-12 All-Academic Honors
December 01, 2016 | Volleyball
SAN FRANCISCO — Colorado junior Stephanie Shadley led a group of five Buffaloes to Pac-12 All-Academic Volleyball team honors, which were announced on Thursday by the league.
Shadley was selected to the second team, while Naghede Abu, Anna Pfefferle, Cierra Simpson and Gabby Simpson were named to the honorable mention team. This is Shadley's second academic honor as she was named to the honorable mention team in 2015. Cierra Simpson is a three-time honorable mention honoree, while Pfefferle and Gabby Simpson are making their second appearance on the honorable mention squad. This is the first selection for Abu.
To be eligible for selection to the academic team, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.0 overall grade-point average and be either a starter or significant contributor.
Shadley, an outside hitter, is a double-major in communication and the classics and owns a 3.56 GPA. She earned a starting role this fall for the Buffs as an outside hitter, averaging 2.22 kills per set. Shadley was also a key contributor defensively, adding 2.38 digs and 0.35 blocks per set. She started in all 30 matches and played in 116 of 121 sets.
Abu, a middle blocker, has earned a 3.14 GPA while majoring in business. She started in all 30 contests and is one of three Buffs who played in all 121 sets. Abu set CU's rally-scoring era single season blocks record with 153 this year, which included tying another CU record with 15 blocks in a single match (against Portland State on August 27). She added 1.69 kills per set and hit .323 this season, which was 10th in the Pac-12, and her 1.26 blocks per set ranks sixth in the Pac-12.
Pfefferle, another middle blocker, is a marketing major with a 3.39 GPA. She averaged 0.88 blocks per set, which was tied for second on the team. Pfefferle posted nine block solos and 94 block assists to reach 100 or more total blocks for the third straight season. She played in all 30 matches, which included 27 starts. Additionally, Pfefferle recorded 0.88 kills per set and 0.55 digs per set while hitting .263.
Cierra Simpson, a libero, has a 3.31 GPA while majoring in advertising. She played in all 121 matches for CU and led the team with 3.67 digs per set, 10th in the league. In conference matches that mark was higher at 3.91, which ranked seventh in the Pac-12. During the season, Simpson became CU's overall career digs leader, finishing with 1,840. She also became the rally scoring-era career service aces record holder with 91.
Gabby Simpson played dual roles for the Buffs as a setter and right side hitter. She has recorded a 3.23 GPA while majoring in strategic communications. Despite missing the first three and final five matches of the season, Simpson was a major part of CU's success in the 22 matches she played. Simpson was second on the team in kills (2.47 kps) and assists (5.48) and was fourth on the team in digs (2.33 dps) and blocks (0.64 bps). She ranked fourth in the NCAA this season with a CU record seven triple-doubles, which included a record-setting four straight to start the Pac-12 season.
2016 Pac-12 All-Academic – Women's Volleyball
Second Team
Honorable Mention
