AUSTIN, Texas -- Calvin University's Heidi Westra was deemed the Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year for Division III as announced by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) on December 21. Additionally, Albion College's Mariah Brenz also represents the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) as a CSC Academic All-American®.
Westra, a senior outside hitter/right-side hitter for the Knights, earned the CSC Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year accolade and a spot on the Academic All-America® First Team for the first time in her career. Westra has a 3.72 grade-point average as an Economics and Business Marketing major.
This season, the 2022 MIAA Player of the Year led the Knights to the MIAA Championship, the MIAA Tournament crown, and the NCAA Regional Championship. Westra closed out the 2022 campaign as the MIAA's leader with 459 kills (11th nationally), 4.68 kills per set (fourth nationally), 537.5 points (ninth nationally), and 5.5 points per set (fourth nationally). She is the sixth member of the Calvin women's volleyball program to earn the title of Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year.
Brenz, a junior setter for Albion, was selected to the CSC Academic All-America® Second Team. She boasts a 3.96 GPA as a Biology/Biochemistry major.
Brenz became a two-time All-MIAA recipient this season after leading the Brits to a 6-2 mark in league play (25-6 overall) and a second-place finish in the MIAA Volleyball Tournament. She finished top three in the conference with 113 sets, 1,089 assists, 9.64 assists per set, and 26 matches started. Her number of assists in a single season is currently second-best in Albion program history. Brenz is the first Briton volleyball player to receive Academic All-America® honors.
To be considered for CSC Academic All-America, one must be a sophomore or higher in academic standing, be a starter or a key reserve, and hold a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.50.
For more information on the Academic All-America® program, go to https://academicallamerica.com.
CSC Academic All-America® Volleyball Teams release
