Five Jayhawks Named Academic All-Big 12
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas seniors Sara McClinton and Chelsea Albers led the Jayhawks with their third-career appearances on the Academic All-Big 12 Team, announced Tuesday by the league office.
McClinton, a two-time All-Big 12 First Team honoree, was selected to the All-Academic First Team for the third-straight year, which equates to every year she has been eligible, as freshmen do not qualify. Sophomores Tayler Soucie and Cassie Wait became eligible this season – and both joined McClinton on the First Team. Albers and sophomore setter Maggie Anderson earned spots on the Academic All-Big 12 Second Team.
With seven freshmen on the 2014 roster, the Jayhawks had only seven remaining players that could be considered. Of those, they had to meet the requirements of maintaining a 3.00 GPA or higher and must have participated in 60 percent of their team’s scheduled contests. Five of the seven earned the honor.
“It speaks highly to how our upperclassmen have taken care of business during our run these last few years, not only on the court, but in the classroom,” head coach Ray Bechard said. “They take their class work as seriously as their work on the court and we’re very proud of that.”
McClinton (human biology/pre-med) is inching toward sixth place on KU’s all-time kills list. The reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week now has 1,208 kills during her time in Lawrence, making her closer to Amanda Reves’ 1,264 kills (1996-99). McClinton is one of two current players in the Big 12 with 1,000 career kills (Haley Eckerman, Texas).
Soucie (exercise science) continues her reign as one of the best blockers in the Big 12, checking in for the second week in a row in the top-three in the league at 1.39 blocks per set, trailing first place Molly McCage (1.41) of Texas by a mere .02 margin. If the season ended today, Soucie’s 1.39 blocking average in 2014 would rank second all-time at Kansas in a single season. Meanwhile, fellow first team selection, Wait (business/finance) is moving up KU’s list of most digs in a single season. Entering the week, her 461 digs are the seventh-most in a single season at Kansas. Her 4.70 digs per set rank third in the Big 12.
On the Academic All-Big 12 Second Team, made up of just 10 players, Anderson and Albers both made the cut. A serving specialist with nine aces and a 91 percent serving success rate, Anderson (business/supply chain management) has checked into all 26 matches this year and is making her first appearance on the Academic All-Big 12 Team.
Albers (exercise science/pre-PT), a three-time academic honoree, will likely start her 100th career match against Iowa State on Nov. 19. She ranks in the top-10 in the conference in kills (3.00) and points (3.49) per set. Her 2.58 dig average is tied for second-highest on the team.
Kansas Academic All-Big 12 First Team
Sara McClinton – Sr., OH, Human Biology/Pre-Med
Tayler Soucie – So., MB, Exercise Science
Cassie Wait – So., L, Business/Finance
Kansas Academic All-Big 12 Second Team
Chelsea Albers – Sr., OH, Exercise Science/Pre-PT
Maggie Anderson – So., S, Business/Supply Chain Management
UP NEXT
Kansas will hit the court at home on Nov. 19 against Iowa State. First serve from the Horejsi Family Athletics Center is set for 6:30 p.m. The match will be televised on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel.
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