Volleyball’s Wait & Schmitt Earn Academic All-America Honors
1/9/2024 11:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Kendra Wait and Kiana Schmitt recognized
OMAHA, Neb. -- Creighton Volleyball stars Kendra Wait and Kiana Schmitt have been named Academic All-Americans, as chosen by College Sports Communicators. Wait was a First Team choice while Schmitt was selected to the Third Team.
This year marks just the second time that Creighton Volleyball has had multiple Academic All-Americans, joining 2018 (Jaali Winters, Taryn Kloth). Creighton is one of three schools with a Women's Volleyball Academic All-American in each of the past three seasons, joining Pittsburgh and Texas, but CU is the only school with a different honoree each season.
The 2023 Academic All-America® Volleyball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators (formerly known as CoSIDA), recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field or court and in the classroom.
Wait topped Creighton in both assists and digs as she was named BIG EAST Player of the Year and BIG EAST Setter of the Year. The Gardner, Kan., product led the BIG EAST in assists per set (10.35) for the third straight season, also ranking 10th in digs per set (3.41) and 18th in blocks per set (0.78). Wait's setting helped Creighton establish a program record for hitting percentage (.283). A Second Team Academic All-American selection last year, Wait joins Jaali Winters as the second player in program history to be named an Academic All-American more than once. The Nursing major owns a 4.00 GPA.
Wait was one of eight repeat selections to the 2023 Academic All-America® Division I team. The others are Caitie Baird (Stanford), Kayley Cassaday (Tulsa), Iman Isanovic (Washington State), Magda Jehlarova (Washington State), Kelley Johnson (North Dakota State), Lexi Rodriguez (Nebraska) and Logan Case (Western Michigan). Isanovic is a three-time Academic All-America® choice. Wait is Creighton Volleyball's second First Team Academic All-American in history, as Abby Bottomley was recognized in 2021.
Schmitt led the BIG EAST in hitting percentage (.379) and ranked second in the league in blocks per set (1.08) in her fifth and final season as a Bluejay. The Waunakee, Wis., native also ranked among the conference leaders in kills per set (2.65) and points per set (3.22). An exercise science for pre-health professions major and biology minor, Schmitt was named Most Valuable Player of the 2023 BIG EAST Championship Presented by JEEP. Her .379 hitting percentage broke Creighton's single-season school record.
Schmitt is the eighth different player in program history to be named an Academic All-American. The Exercise Science for Pre-Health Professions major owns a 3.85 GPA.
Creighton was one of five schools with multiple Academic All-Americans, joining Stanford, Arkansas, Pittsburgh and Washington State.
Coached by Kirsten Bernthal Booth, Creighton finished the 2023 season with a 29-5 record and reached the program's third Sweet 16 since 2015, in addition to earning a 10th straight BIG EAST regular-season title.
Creighton has now had 50 student-athletes earn a combined 61 Academic All-America awards across all sports. Wait is the 13th student-athlete across all Bluejay sports to be named a First Team Academic All-American, and joins Abby Bottomley (2021) as the only volleyball player to be named to the top team.
College Sports Communicators
FIRST TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA
Abby Bottomley – 2021
Kendra Wait - 2023
SECOND TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA
Megan Bober - 2012
Kendra Wait - 2022
Jaali Winters - 2018
THIRD TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA
Emily Greisch - 2006
Taryn Kloth – 2018
Kiana Schmitt - 2023
Jaali Winters - 2017
Brittany Witt – 2019
For more information about CSC Academic All-District® and Academic All-America® Teams program, visit AcademicAllAmerica.com.
2023 Academic All-America ® Volleyball Team NCAA Division I
FIRST TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Logan Case (1) Western Michigan University Sr. 4.00 French
Kayley Cassaday (2) The University of Tulsa Gr. 4.00 Mechanical Engineering (G)
Anna DeBeer University of Louisville Sr. 3.95 Health & Human Performance Exercise Science
Morgahn Fingall University of Tennessee Gr. 3.62/3.80 Public Health (G)
Kendall Kipp Stanford University Sr. 3.58 Human Biology
Lexi Rodriguez (3) University of Nebraska Jr. 3.65 Advertising & Public Relations
Kendra Wait (2) Creighton University Jr. 4.00 Nursing
SECOND TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Caitie Baird (1) Stanford University Gr. 3.80/3.89 Human Biology (UG) / Communications (G)
Paige Briggs Western Kentucky University Gr. 3.94/4.00 Graphic Design & Leadership Studies
Rachel Fairbanks University of Pittsburgh Jr. 3.77 Finance
Jill Gillen University of Arkansas Gr. 3.94/4.00 Business Administration (G)
Kelley Johnson (1) North Dakota State University Sr. 4.00 Biological Sciences
Kailey Keeble University of South Alabama Gr. 4.00/4.00 Sport Management
Emily Londot The Ohio State University Sr. 3.98 Sport Industry
THIRD TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Bella Bergmark University of Texas Gr. 3.53 Non-degree seeker (G)
Celia Cullen SMU Sr. 4.00 Sport Management
Hannah Hogue University of Arkansas Jr. 3.85 Agricultural Business Pre-Law
Iman Isanovic (2) (4) Washington State University Gr. 4.00/4.00 Political Science
Magda Jehlarova (2) Washington State University Gr. 3.77/3.80 Management (G)
Giovana Larregui Lopez Eastern Illinois University Sr. 3.91 Accounting
Chiamaka Nwokolo University of Pittsburgh Gr. 3.66/4.00 Legal Studies
Julia Orzol University of Wisconsin - Madison Jr. 3.93 Accounting
Kiana Schmitt Creighton University Sr. 3.85 Exercise Science for Pre-Health Professions
Ashley Wang Harvard University Sr. 3.84 Applied Mathematics
CSC Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year: Logan Case, Western Michigan University
(1) – 1st team Academic All-America® in 2022
(2) – 2nd team Academic All-America® in 2022
(3) – 3rd team Academic All-America® in 2022
(4) – 3rd team Academic All-America® in 2021
This year marks just the second time that Creighton Volleyball has had multiple Academic All-Americans, joining 2018 (Jaali Winters, Taryn Kloth). Creighton is one of three schools with a Women's Volleyball Academic All-American in each of the past three seasons, joining Pittsburgh and Texas, but CU is the only school with a different honoree each season.
The 2023 Academic All-America® Volleyball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators (formerly known as CoSIDA), recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field or court and in the classroom.
Wait topped Creighton in both assists and digs as she was named BIG EAST Player of the Year and BIG EAST Setter of the Year. The Gardner, Kan., product led the BIG EAST in assists per set (10.35) for the third straight season, also ranking 10th in digs per set (3.41) and 18th in blocks per set (0.78). Wait's setting helped Creighton establish a program record for hitting percentage (.283). A Second Team Academic All-American selection last year, Wait joins Jaali Winters as the second player in program history to be named an Academic All-American more than once. The Nursing major owns a 4.00 GPA.
Wait was one of eight repeat selections to the 2023 Academic All-America® Division I team. The others are Caitie Baird (Stanford), Kayley Cassaday (Tulsa), Iman Isanovic (Washington State), Magda Jehlarova (Washington State), Kelley Johnson (North Dakota State), Lexi Rodriguez (Nebraska) and Logan Case (Western Michigan). Isanovic is a three-time Academic All-America® choice. Wait is Creighton Volleyball's second First Team Academic All-American in history, as Abby Bottomley was recognized in 2021.
Schmitt led the BIG EAST in hitting percentage (.379) and ranked second in the league in blocks per set (1.08) in her fifth and final season as a Bluejay. The Waunakee, Wis., native also ranked among the conference leaders in kills per set (2.65) and points per set (3.22). An exercise science for pre-health professions major and biology minor, Schmitt was named Most Valuable Player of the 2023 BIG EAST Championship Presented by JEEP. Her .379 hitting percentage broke Creighton's single-season school record.
Schmitt is the eighth different player in program history to be named an Academic All-American. The Exercise Science for Pre-Health Professions major owns a 3.85 GPA.
Creighton was one of five schools with multiple Academic All-Americans, joining Stanford, Arkansas, Pittsburgh and Washington State.
Coached by Kirsten Bernthal Booth, Creighton finished the 2023 season with a 29-5 record and reached the program's third Sweet 16 since 2015, in addition to earning a 10th straight BIG EAST regular-season title.
Creighton has now had 50 student-athletes earn a combined 61 Academic All-America awards across all sports. Wait is the 13th student-athlete across all Bluejay sports to be named a First Team Academic All-American, and joins Abby Bottomley (2021) as the only volleyball player to be named to the top team.
College Sports Communicators
FIRST TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA
Abby Bottomley – 2021
Kendra Wait - 2023
SECOND TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA
Megan Bober - 2012
Kendra Wait - 2022
Jaali Winters - 2018
THIRD TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA
Emily Greisch - 2006
Taryn Kloth – 2018
Kiana Schmitt - 2023
Jaali Winters - 2017
Brittany Witt – 2019
For more information about CSC Academic All-District® and Academic All-America® Teams program, visit AcademicAllAmerica.com.
2023 Academic All-America ® Volleyball Team NCAA Division I
FIRST TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Logan Case (1) Western Michigan University Sr. 4.00 French
Kayley Cassaday (2) The University of Tulsa Gr. 4.00 Mechanical Engineering (G)
Anna DeBeer University of Louisville Sr. 3.95 Health & Human Performance Exercise Science
Morgahn Fingall University of Tennessee Gr. 3.62/3.80 Public Health (G)
Kendall Kipp Stanford University Sr. 3.58 Human Biology
Lexi Rodriguez (3) University of Nebraska Jr. 3.65 Advertising & Public Relations
Kendra Wait (2) Creighton University Jr. 4.00 Nursing
SECOND TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Caitie Baird (1) Stanford University Gr. 3.80/3.89 Human Biology (UG) / Communications (G)
Paige Briggs Western Kentucky University Gr. 3.94/4.00 Graphic Design & Leadership Studies
Rachel Fairbanks University of Pittsburgh Jr. 3.77 Finance
Jill Gillen University of Arkansas Gr. 3.94/4.00 Business Administration (G)
Kelley Johnson (1) North Dakota State University Sr. 4.00 Biological Sciences
Kailey Keeble University of South Alabama Gr. 4.00/4.00 Sport Management
Emily Londot The Ohio State University Sr. 3.98 Sport Industry
THIRD TEAM
Name School Yr. GPA Major
Bella Bergmark University of Texas Gr. 3.53 Non-degree seeker (G)
Celia Cullen SMU Sr. 4.00 Sport Management
Hannah Hogue University of Arkansas Jr. 3.85 Agricultural Business Pre-Law
Iman Isanovic (2) (4) Washington State University Gr. 4.00/4.00 Political Science
Magda Jehlarova (2) Washington State University Gr. 3.77/3.80 Management (G)
Giovana Larregui Lopez Eastern Illinois University Sr. 3.91 Accounting
Chiamaka Nwokolo University of Pittsburgh Gr. 3.66/4.00 Legal Studies
Julia Orzol University of Wisconsin - Madison Jr. 3.93 Accounting
Kiana Schmitt Creighton University Sr. 3.85 Exercise Science for Pre-Health Professions
Ashley Wang Harvard University Sr. 3.84 Applied Mathematics
CSC Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year: Logan Case, Western Michigan University
(1) – 1st team Academic All-America® in 2022
(2) – 2nd team Academic All-America® in 2022
(3) – 3rd team Academic All-America® in 2022
(4) – 3rd team Academic All-America® in 2021
Players Mentioned
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