Colorado University Athletics
Photo by: Tim Benko, Benko Photographics
DeLuzio Named to Pac-12 All-Academic Team
November 29, 2018 | Volleyball
Buffs With Seven Overall Honorees
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The University of Colorado women's volleyball team's sophomore setter Brynna DeLuzio leads a group of seven total Buffaloes that were named to the 2018 Pac-12 All-Academic Team, the conference announced Thursday afternoon.
DeLuzio was named to the Pac-12 All-Academic Second Team, while teammates Naghede Abu, Emily DeMure, Lillie Klemmer, Danielle Price, Alexa Smith and Rachel Whipple were named Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mentions.
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 that plays in half of all contests. True freshmen and transfer students in their first season are not eligible.
DeLuzio, a sophomore setter from Windermere, Fla., was selected to the Pac-12 All-Academic Second Team in her first eligible season. The business major boasts a 3.603 GPA, the highest of the team of eligible student-athletes. DeLuzio adds to her young highlighted career after being named the AVCA Regional Freshman of the Year last season and an All-American Honorable Mention. She continues the streak of Buffs named to the Pac-12 All-Academic Second Team to a fourth consecutive year, joining Stephanie Shadley who earned the honor in consecutive years and Nicole Edelman in 2015.
Senior middle Naghede Abu is earning her third Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention. The accounting and finance major has a 3.237 GPA while also earning her minor in leadership studies. Abu has had a stellar season, breaking the school records in blocks in a match, blocks in a career and career hitting percentage. She finished second in the conference in hitting percentage and blocks per set.
Senior Alexa Smith earns her second-straight honorable mention, the most she can be eligible for at CU after transferring in her sophomore season. Smith is a marketing major with a 3.285 GPA. She became the 16th player in school history to hit 1,000 career kills and has the opportunity to finish as the ninth player with 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs.
Libero Rachel Whipple garnishes her second-straight honor with a 3.45 GPA in integrative physiology with a leadership studies minor. The junior earned the starting libero spot this season and is just three digs away from her 400th this season. She has played in all 120 sets for the Buffaloes this season.
Lillie Klemmer is a junior sociology major with a business minor and a 3.46 GPA. The middle stepped up in the early non-conference schedule and recorded three matches with seven blocks. She has played in 18 matches this season and has been used deep in sets as a middle in the back row.
Redshirt sophomore Emily DeMure earns her first honor with a 3.289 GPA in integrative physiology major and an art practices minor. The transfer right side has played her way into the lineup in the later-half of the conference schedule, appearing in 16 total matches. She posted five blocks in the upset of Washington and had a career match against Stanford with five kills on seven errorless swings.
The final Buff is redshirt freshman Danielle Price who boasts a 3.563 in integrative physiology. The middle has 124 total blocks in her first season with Colorado. She also marked her 100th career kill against Oregon State.
Of the 15 players on the Colorado team only 11 were eligible by playing and freshmen/transfer rules. Stanford led all teams with eight selections, while Colorado tied UCLA with seven individuals listed. UCLA and CU each had seven players that earned it with 11 eligible, tallying 64 percent of the team compared to Stanford's 57 percent.
DeLuzio was named to the Pac-12 All-Academic Second Team, while teammates Naghede Abu, Emily DeMure, Lillie Klemmer, Danielle Price, Alexa Smith and Rachel Whipple were named Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mentions.
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 that plays in half of all contests. True freshmen and transfer students in their first season are not eligible.
DeLuzio, a sophomore setter from Windermere, Fla., was selected to the Pac-12 All-Academic Second Team in her first eligible season. The business major boasts a 3.603 GPA, the highest of the team of eligible student-athletes. DeLuzio adds to her young highlighted career after being named the AVCA Regional Freshman of the Year last season and an All-American Honorable Mention. She continues the streak of Buffs named to the Pac-12 All-Academic Second Team to a fourth consecutive year, joining Stephanie Shadley who earned the honor in consecutive years and Nicole Edelman in 2015.
Senior middle Naghede Abu is earning her third Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention. The accounting and finance major has a 3.237 GPA while also earning her minor in leadership studies. Abu has had a stellar season, breaking the school records in blocks in a match, blocks in a career and career hitting percentage. She finished second in the conference in hitting percentage and blocks per set.
Senior Alexa Smith earns her second-straight honorable mention, the most she can be eligible for at CU after transferring in her sophomore season. Smith is a marketing major with a 3.285 GPA. She became the 16th player in school history to hit 1,000 career kills and has the opportunity to finish as the ninth player with 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs.
Libero Rachel Whipple garnishes her second-straight honor with a 3.45 GPA in integrative physiology with a leadership studies minor. The junior earned the starting libero spot this season and is just three digs away from her 400th this season. She has played in all 120 sets for the Buffaloes this season.
Lillie Klemmer is a junior sociology major with a business minor and a 3.46 GPA. The middle stepped up in the early non-conference schedule and recorded three matches with seven blocks. She has played in 18 matches this season and has been used deep in sets as a middle in the back row.
Redshirt sophomore Emily DeMure earns her first honor with a 3.289 GPA in integrative physiology major and an art practices minor. The transfer right side has played her way into the lineup in the later-half of the conference schedule, appearing in 16 total matches. She posted five blocks in the upset of Washington and had a career match against Stanford with five kills on seven errorless swings.
The final Buff is redshirt freshman Danielle Price who boasts a 3.563 in integrative physiology. The middle has 124 total blocks in her first season with Colorado. She also marked her 100th career kill against Oregon State.
Of the 15 players on the Colorado team only 11 were eligible by playing and freshmen/transfer rules. Stanford led all teams with eight selections, while Colorado tied UCLA with seven individuals listed. UCLA and CU each had seven players that earned it with 11 eligible, tallying 64 percent of the team compared to Stanford's 57 percent.
Players Mentioned
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