Six Badgers named Academic All-Big Ten
December 09, 2008 | Volleyball
Six members of the University of Wisconsin volleyball team were named to the Academic All-Big Ten team, the conference office announced. A total of 71 volleyball players from all 11 Big Ten universities were honored during the 2008 fall season.
In order to qualify for the honor team, a student-athlete must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or above (B or better), be a letterwinner and be a non-first year student (freshmen and first-year transfers are not eligible).
Senior Audra Jeffers became just the second UW player to earn four Academic All-Big Ten honors. The fifth-year senior will graduate this spring with a degree in communication arts.
The 6-2 middle blocker wraps up her career as one of the top Badgers of all time, ranking among the top 10 players in points, kills, hitting percentage, blocks and sets played.
Senior Faye McCormack earns her third consecutive Academic All-Big Ten honor. She is majoring in communication arts. McCormack was a key defensive player for the Badgers this season, averaging a career-best 1.29 digs per set. The 5-5 defensive specialist had a career-high 12 digs at Michigan on Nov. 8.
Juniors Caity DuPont and Nikki Klingsporn both earn their second straight Academic All-Big Ten honor. DuPont, a 6-0 outside hitter, is majoring in interior design while Klingsporn, a 5-10 setter, is majoring in human ecology.
DuPont played in 31 matches this season, starting five. She averaged 2.13 kills, 0.58 digs and 0.35 blocks per game.
A redshirt sophomore, Klingsporn played in all 32 matches this year, starting 26. She averaged 6.36 assists per set and also added 1.75 digs per set.
Sophomores Kim Kuzma and Allison Wack were named to their first Academic All-Big Ten team. Kuzma is majoring in communication arts while Wack has not yet declared on a major.
Kuzma played in all 32 matches for the Badgers as their libero. She ranked fifth in the Big Ten with 4.26 digs per set. She had a career-high 26 digs vs. Indiana and recorded 20-or-more digs in 10 matches this season.
Wack played in 32 matches, starting 24 at outside hitter. She averaged 1.32 kills and 1.70 digs per set. Wack recorded double-figure kills in four matches and double-digit digs in five matches this season.
